18% Livable Wage Add On (Page 2): I have never liked the whole tip thing in general,I never know if I am tipping to little or to much. I certainly believe in a person being paid a...

Smudgey Loc: Ohio, Calif, Now Arizona

I have never liked the whole tip thing in general,I never know if I am tipping to little or to much. I certainly believe in a person being paid a proper living wage. When I worked I was paid a wage, nobody tiped me. A living wage with maybe a bonus from the employer that was built into the price of the food would seem to me to be a better way to go. That would be a nice incentive to make employees want to stay there as employees.

Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

elee950021 wrote:

I just had a "plain" turkey burger with a slice of pickle and small container (condiment cup size) of slaw for $9.75 at a diner!

The Bareburger Restaurant chain here in Manhattan charges $13 and up for their "plain" burgers and we're talking vegetarian. A local steak house does offer a "Lunch Special:" $19.95 Steakburger. Don't know about a pickle and slaw!

Be well! Ed

The villages where there are starving artists and want-a-be-actors usually have restaurants with affordable meals. Also I wonder if that one pizza shop in mid-town that always had the 1.00 a slice pizza is now up to 1.25 per slice?

ArnieA Loc: BC,Canada

jerryc41 wrote:

I was reading a local magazine while my car was being inspected this morning, and it had an article about a local restaurant. Everyone there makes at least $20/hour, and they add an 18% "livable wage" item to each customer's bill. That's not considered the tip, which you are expected to add to that. I don't plan to go there.

If I went there there would be NO tip

Alafoto Loc: Montgomery, AL

Country Boy wrote:

I have been to a number of places that charge the 18% but it is normally considered a tip. I don't object but I like to make my own determination as to the amount of tip the servers deserve. If they get a set amount, there is no reason to give outstanding service!

Agreed. I normally tip 20% for standard service. 25% for exceptional service. The management has screwed the waiter/waitress by arbitrarily adding that additional charge.

JFCoupe Loc: Kent, Washington

It may be that the 18% goes to the restaurant so enable the higher hourly wage. I suspect that the employees do not receive both the $20/hr plus the 18%. Just a guess, however.

neillaubenthal

jerryc41 wrote:

$20 is unusually high for waiters. With pay like that, I can't understand why they add the 18%. Every employer in the country could add that 18%. That would be bad news. I wonder how much of that 18% actually goes to the workers.

My guess is that the 18% surcharge is to pay the waiters that $20/hour without raising prices on the menu. And I agree…with that surcharge and the living wage…I would only tip for extraordinary service and it wouldn’t be another 20%. I personally think that minimum wage for waiters should be what everybody else’s minimum wage is and not subsidized by tips.

clickety

Longshadow wrote:

Interesting that the more one eats, the more they get paid.
Why don't they simply raise the wage instead of a mandatory bonus?

The current thinking seems to be ‘ never absorb any cost that can be passed on to the customer’.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

clickety wrote:

The current thinking seems to be ‘ never absorb any cost that can be passed on to the customer’.

BigSteve Loc: Pittsburgh,Pa. Area

Price of living in state of New York....

BebuLamar

jerryc41 wrote:

I was reading a local magazine while my car was being inspected this morning, and it had an article about a local restaurant. Everyone there makes at least $20/hour, and they add an 18% "livable wage" item to each customer's bill. That's not considered the tip, which you are expected to add to that. I don't plan to go there.

It's a silly stuff for that and even the tips is sometimes silly. They can price their menu higher but having those add on is silly. Also tips should not be expected. Tips should be a bonus for the people when you feel the server went beyond your expectation and is for that person and not to be shared. Otherwise as I said why not just price higher.

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

Smudgey wrote:

I have never liked the whole tip thing in general,I never know if I am tipping to little or to much. I certainly believe in a person being paid a proper living wage. When I worked I was paid a wage, nobody tiped me. A living wage with maybe a bonus from the employer that was built into the price of the food would seem to me to be a better way to go. That would be a nice incentive to make employees want to stay there as employees.

You said: "A living wage with maybe a bonus from the employer that was built into the price of the food would seem to me to be a better way to go."

The last time I was in Italy, the price you paid was the price listed on the menu, including "setting fee", all taxes, and a generous tip.
At first glance, the prices seemed a little steep until someone explained the pricing to me. The waitstaff was very attentive and professional.
That sort of pricing/service really makes for a pleasant dining experience IMHO. Plus it made me . . . .
Smile,
JimmyT Sends

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Who tips the electrician?
Plumber?
Car mechanic?
Doctor?
Computer tech?
...

BebuLamar

Longshadow wrote:

Who tips the electrician?
Plumber?
Car mechanic?
Doctor?
Computer tech?
...

I do tip the plumber and car mechanic when I feel they did more than I expected. I gave them the the tips and be sure their employer don't know about it. The contract I had with their employer has nothing to do with tips. That is why I would want to deal with the restaurant the same way.

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

jerryc41 wrote:

I was reading a local magazine while my car was being inspected this morning, and it had an article about a local restaurant. Everyone there makes at least $20/hour, and they add an 18% "livable wage" item to each customer's bill. That's not considered the tip, which you are expected to add to that. I don't plan to go there.

At $20 an hour, working 30 hours a week, is about $31,000 per year.
Factor in: cost of housing, food, tank of gas per week, medical expenses and all the other necessary weekly expenses and it is not even a livable wage.
When I go out to dine (not very often) I leave at least a 20% tip. As an exercise of comparison, try living on $31,000 a year. How about if there are a spouse and 2 children in the family.

Most small apartments (2 bedrooms) are $1500 - $2500 a month where I live. Try living on $31,000 a year. Don't dare take up photography!
Sorry, this is a rant. I just wish to see more compassion for those who struggle financially. No, I'm not one of them. However, my wife & I worked 2 and 3 jobs for many years to achieve financial security.

Mark

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

markngolf wrote:

At $20 an hour, working 30 hours a week, is about ... (show quote)

Deleted