Why do waiters and waitresses generally get angry when people don't tip well?

Question

I rarely get tipped carrying dry wall (trust me, i have done waiting and it does not nearly compare to the stress of carrying dry wall) and i don't complain when i don't get a big tip. If waiters and waitresses want more money shouldn't they just ask for more from their bosses? Oh wait, i got a better idea, lets have restaurants pay minimum wage or higher like they should! It would be a great idea! but seriously, why do they complain so much (almost as much as i am now)

Answer 1

You said in all professions people stiff, and your right.  For business owners people shoplift, or employees slack off at their jobs and steal supplies.  If you perform a service people don't pay their bills and if your a bank people don't pay their mortgage.  None of those examples show that it was right, just a lapse of morality in doing the right thing.  Yeah a tip may be small, but if they deserved it and you did not pay it, it is kind of like stealing.

Answer 2

They don't work for minimum wage. Last I checked, after the increase of minimum wage was increased to $6.50 in Missouri, waitresses were being paid $3.25/hour. And that's if they were lucky enough to have their boss go along with the law and actually give them the raise (which was up from about $2.10). They work for less than minimum wage, and get tips which is just what we do in America.

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The biggest drain of tip income comes from the IRS. Tipped employees are subject to a different minimum wage than everyone else in the country: It varies state to state, but the federal minimum is $2.13 per hour. While waiters are supposed to report all their tip income, the IRS double-checks their math based on the restaurant's sales. Once Social Security and Medicaid are withheld, waiters often get $0 pay stubs—even after two weeks of double shifts. Stiff a server and you're not denying her a perk, you're denying her regular income, and you're making her pay taxes for it, too.

http://www.slate.com/id/2073161/

Answer 3

Honestly, I think most people don't CARE about other people. Obviously, you appreciate the service you receive and you tip well. The economy is really bad everywhere and people are only lovers of  themselves and lovers of money. I'm, like you, always observing people and even listening in a bit on them when I am dining out. I eat out a lot and I think I tip pretty well. I usually get GREAT service, but I'm not high-class or even middle-class. BUT...I have noticed that low-income people tip way-better than some of the higher class people. People who appreciate a luxury (dining out) are usually willing to pay more in the end.

The wait staff gets angry becaus they see fellas in expensive suits or women with their $800 purses pull out a buck to tip for a $20 food item. I have dined with a very wealthy man who was very scrupulous about counting his tip down to the penny - at exactly 8% (what the wait-staff HAD to claim on taxes) no matter how well he was served or what a pain in the butt he was.  

On the other hand, some parents may not realize they should tip a bit extra when they have young kids at the table - a waitress could encourage tips by giving the kids a coloring sheet and asking that they leave their artwork for her on the table - then the mom can remember to leave a few extra bucks, too. (There is a reason to go back to the table after you've paid) Also, a lot of people who use debit or credit cards seem to be a little wary that their tip won't go to the intended waitress - so they don't tip at all.

BUT - MY REAL ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS:

THEY COMPLAIN SO LOUDLY ABOUT TIPS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO ARE CURRENTLY DINING TO TIP BIGGER

Who wants to be talked about after they've left a restaurant? They know that you will react by upping your tip because you feel sorry for them. And...you...if you regularly dine at the same places have fallen terribly for their little plan. They may be calling the old man who came in for coffee and left a dime a scrooge, but they are calling you a sucker! 50% is way too much - you ruin it for the next guy who comes in and tips the standard 15-20%.  Next time, leave a note of thanks and give them a sucker (lollipop) - see how you get treated after that!

Answer 4

90% of waitress do not even get paid minnium wage.  They usually get between $2 and $4 an hour, so they depend on the tips to make up the difference.  

I have been a waitress and it did upset me when I would bust my butt to make sure my customers had everything they needed, was as nice as can be and they left a losey tip..

If they don't want to leave a good tip then they need to start eating at a buffet or fast food restaraunt

Answer 5

For the same reason you would get angry if someone hired you to do a job for them, you did the job well, and then they refused to pay you!

Answer 6

That' how they get paid.

Their wages are so low they rely on tips.

Answer 7

I understand your complaining I work retail and I feel I have to deal with horrible customers at times and I never get tipped for anything I do for them I rarely get a thank you. But in the defense of waiters and waitresses first of all most of them do get paid minimum wage or just a bit more second the government knows that the average is 15% of what the total bill is so at the end of the night the restraunt has to put in how much each waiter sold in food, drinks etc and they still get taxed on 12% wheather they got that amount or not. That is why when there is a large group in many places the tip is included in the total for preventing the serveres to get majorly riped off. So if you dine out and your bill is 60 dollars and you just give your server 2 bucks it almost hurts them more plus they also are expected to tip out to the busboys a % of what they make as well and sometimes the bartender as well.

Now I am sure when you get a tip doing dry wall which I know is a hard job my Dad did it you don't have to claim that tip on your taxes as servers do,

Answer 8

customer service people are the people that get treated the worst. just because you are there to serve people it dosent mean that you can treat the employees like c**p. give them a break man all day long they have to deal with people that want things done their way. also people who have had a lousy day take it out on employees and it shouldnt be like that.

Answer 9

Most waiters/waitresses rely on tips for the majority of money that they bring home. This is because they get paid really little money, usually minimum wage. Also, because it is just to show common courtesy. This is simply to thank them for providing really good service for you and making sure that you were happy. I believe that if they did not do their job properly, then they shouldnt be tipped though. Its all about showing respect.

Answer 10

Their wage barely covers the taxes on the tips that they MUST claim just for being a server.  The taxes are based on the total of the checks that they ring.  So, basically, they just work for their tips.  If you are not planning to tip in a restaurant, then you should either stay home, or get fast food.  The tip is just part of the meal charge.  Of course, that is assuming that the service was good!  By not factoring the tip into the charge of the meal, the restaurant is allowed to keep the prices down.  In this manner, you also have the option to not pay as much if the service is bad.  Better service deserves better tips.  This just makes for better service at the restaurants and keeps the servers on their toes.

Answer 11

some restaraunts dont pay alot so most waiters and watresses live off of tip money

Answer 12

Regular waiters and waitresses are NOT paid federal minimum wage. They are paid a much lower, by multiple dollars, wage, and the rest of their income must be made up of their tips.

In American culture, we tip our wait staff, but it's similar to paying them.

Answer 13

When your a waitress or waiter you are earning below minimum wage for all jobs except for being a waiter or waitress.  From the restaurant, they could only be making $4 an hour... so the tips are a critical determinant in their salary.

I think the origination behind doing this is that it forces them to be good to the customers.  Think about it... if your getting paid a good hourly wage from the restaurant, would you be as worried about keeping the coffee cups filled at your tables than if you were getting tips from them that determined your pay??

Also, if they are employed at a large commercial restaurant like Applebee's they are getting taxed on their tips.  What they are taxed on is determined by the food sales in the restaurant during their shifts.  So even if they don't make the estimated tips that is calculated into the income tax, they still have to pay it.  So they could easily end up paying a higher income tax rate than what they are really earning.

Answer 14

Where i work my base pay is $2.13. After knowing that calculate your tip and you'll formulate your own answer. Dont forget about my car note and rent and utilities and food and gas(especially gas)..........I really could go on

Answer 15

50% ? dang the most i think i've done was 20%, maybe 25 at the most!

i think that it's because they basically make most of their money through tips.

wouldnt you like to pay the bills too? im sure the normal waitress/waiter salary makes an extremely tight budget.

Answer 16

say everybody should wait tables as some point in your life. it is not as easy as you think. number 1 when you work now at a chain rest you have to pass a number of test ranging from oral to written. i had to pass 6 test and i failed 2 of them and had to retake them. it is very stressful job on top of that. i ended up beeing a head server. i will tell you what put me in a good mood or a bad mood was the people i was serving. i know that i was a server but some people customers come in and is nothing but rude. i may be your server but im not your slave. i loved my job. i loved it. but some people you can never please. if you have rude customer that tends to make you have a bad day and that affects how you are. Now for a example. i was head server. so that means that i was prety good at what i did. I had a table of 3 come in and i had 5 other tables also. these ladies treated me like c**p. so it affected my other tables as well. i could not take care of my other tables becuse i was a slave to one. i was not just there server i was there slave. when they left they left me a tip. but it was not money it was a note on a napkin. it talked about how they hope god would save my soul due to my poor service. so some people can make you have a bad attitude. also you see some days i made good money and some days as a head server i walked out with $20 bucks at the end of the day. what most people dont know is that servers are on average only paid around $3. per hour from the rest.

Answer 17

i think its because their wages are low, and they like getting tips since that kind of increases their salary. Its also because sometimes they had expected something from a customer, and served them 'extra' well, and then it turns out that the customer left without even a normal tip for them. I think that's the reason why they get mad. And i think they don't ask their bosses for a raise because they need the job desperately and can't risk being fired.