tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post3844979026567304053..comments2023-10-19T07:33:10.019-05:00Comments on Intelligent Ignorance: Throwback: Black People Don't TipBrandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05824521615648602792noreply@blogger.comBlogger146125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-25309214929784897252012-12-09T11:36:40.238-05:002012-12-09T11:36:40.238-05:00I waitressed for years throughout highshool, under...I waitressed for years throughout highshool, undergrad, and law school. I have a few things to say:<br />First, it is NEVER okay to provide poor service based on stereotypes or profiling (e.g., cheap clothing, single parenthood). EVER. I don't care if you are serving a regular who you know tips shit. STILL NOT OKAY. Professionalism is everything and if you don't like the nature of the business, quit. <br />Second, the whole "big fake smile and small talk" schtick is just that - phony and ingenuine. Again, I have found that pure professionalism works best unless a guest actually solicits your chat, opinion(s), ideas, life story, etc. I feel embarrassed for servers who try too hard. No matter how cute you are or how much you brown-nose, most people simply want efficient, friendly service and not constant interruption and overenthusiasm. <br />Third, over the years, I have encountered many "tipping" stereotypes. Most are rough estimations of a kernel of truth. In my experience, blacks are more demanding and often tip poorly. I say this with absolutely no bias or prejudice. It is a fact of my own humble experience, nothing more, nothing less. That said, revert back to my first point. It is NEVER okay to provide subpar service based on what you think or even KNOW will happen tip-wise. It simply is not ethical. As a side note, I have been surprised FAR too many times to even rationalize stereotyping based on race (or anything else) in the tipping arena. I treated everyone equally, and waitressing was a pleasant reminder that human beings, are, for the most part, very kind indeed. I never went hungry or lacked a roof or heat. All on faith of tips. For ten years.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-12252705441225302362012-09-04T12:14:53.100-05:002012-09-04T12:14:53.100-05:00It´s a general tendence. I am waiter in a cruisehi...It´s a general tendence. I am waiter in a cruisehip. More than 50% of our guests are blacks. Most of them don´t tip. Ithink it´s like a vicious circle: <br /><br />We dont take care of them because we think that they are noit going to pay and they at the same time feel our "hate" and decide for no tipping... <br /><br />I was very nice with many of them but even so... they never payed. They are not flexible also to understand that a cruiseship is not a hotel and we dont have time to take care a la carte.<br /><br />Many of them perform as nice and cool people. They joke with us, and so on... just to MAKE US BELIEVE that they could tip, but NO!<br /><br />Some of them pay, yes but is just a little minory.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-47410750377885728762012-07-09T06:36:39.460-05:002012-07-09T06:36:39.460-05:00"Then she pulls out the ol' patented Hoot..."Then she pulls out the ol' patented Hooters "let-me-sit-down-and-let-them-flirt-with-me-so-they-will-give-me-a-good-tip" move."<br /><br /><br />O man, that's crazy, you mean to say they did that to you too. I wasn't at hooters, but the girl did pull the EXACT same move after giving a shitty service where she was actually insulting members of our table. I did not give her a tip, thought about it, but didn't give her a single cent.<br /><br />I decided that if someone wants to be racist/discriminatory in rendering of services they will always find a reason. Back in the day it was we don't like serving jews because they don't tip and restaurants would hang signs saying no dogs, no shirt (means no hippies- because hippies don't tip either because they have no jobs),<br />no jews.<br /><br />"Message board after message board characterizes Blacks as cheap tippers and as chronic complainers (which we do apparently because we want to have a reason to not leave a good tip)"<br />This is the nail in the coffin for me. It shows the clear contradicition in these discriminators mind. They say blacks under-tip by their nature and cheapness. And they say blacks are by their nature overly demanding. Then they say we really just start arguments as an excuse to not leave tips. The last part shows the contradiction. If blacks are by their nature cheap and under-tip (be it on purpose or haphazard) we need no excuse to tip less, its our nature, you don't need an excuse for it. So it is at its root a racist belief. Blacks start arguments not because of the shitty service or wrong orders, or not seeing their waitress the whole night (which is 90% of the time what leads up to the crap/no tip), or because they earn 62 cents on the dollar compared to their white counterparts but because they are just cheap.<br /><br />The only thing I can draw from this is white tip more for bad service or these people discriminate against blacks but look for ways to justify it.<br /><br />I guess I am a confrontational person to an extent. I'd rather the server just admit to my face they don't want to serve me because I'm black and "a cheap ass" than to make up other excuses about how they are all so busy. Then I'd not have to tip any of them, and wait patiently while my food takes 1 hour to come.<br /><br />And even if all the blacks who could tip more did, the poor outnumber the rich in all areas. Even for blacks, so the stereotype based on the "Facts" would not change. It would at best be those blacks in suits and ties tip but all the other ones don't tip. And then it just be blacks don't ti[Hernandayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11766776991147601403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-83124619816751619942012-02-20T17:39:52.364-05:002012-02-20T17:39:52.364-05:00Tons of comments on this, and just to show it IS a...Tons of comments on this, and just to show it IS an issue, when you start typing into Google "Why don't black people" the number one autofill is "tip" at the end. <br /><br />I'm currently a delivery driver for a pizza chain. I know I'm saying this myself so it's open to conjecture, still, I'm very well mannered, professional, upbeat on my deliveries, and we do deliver to the most economically disadvantaged neighborhoods in my medium sized Southern city. But the reality is my black customers, whom I approach exactly the same as every customer, with a positive and very upbeat attitude, my set little patter of funny lines that are always well received, yet whether it's affluent or poor, blacks tip at a rate of about 5% of deliveries. Whites, across the board, tip at about 60% of deliveries on this side of town, about 90% in the more affluent suburbs, blacks even in the more affluent suburbs are maybe 10% of deliveries.<br /><br />Maybe it's ignorance, though I have explained when asked that we drive our own cars, buy our own gas, pay for our own insurance, etc., and receive server pay (about half of minimum wage) while delivering. Little changes. It's frustrating, and some companies have cut out certain neighborhoods, partly for this reason, partly for safety if a driver has been robbed, drivers themselves find they refuse to go to these addresses.<br /><br />That's the situation. I would love to know how blacks who receive these services, of waiters or delivery drivers, feel about not tipping.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-60727385295663689792011-09-16T14:28:27.280-05:002011-09-16T14:28:27.280-05:00I am an English ex-pat living in Florida. I came h...I am an English ex-pat living in Florida. I came here about 10 years.<br /><br />I've experienced the same discrimination for being English; servers often think I won't tip well due to my nationality. Unless you mess up or give me awful service, I always give 15-20%. I mean, you start off with 15%; if you're great, it goes up. If you give me bad service (and not just "normal" service) then it can go down to 10%. I sometimes leave a note too.<br /><br />The thing about not knowing how to tip is legitimate. In England, servers don't get poor wages like in the US. Tipping is always optional, but they will add a service charge for large parties.<br /><br />I think in the short term that a Server's Association SHOULD educate people on how to tip, in general and at airports. But I'd really like to see tipping removed and for servers to be compensated properly by employers. How much do we lose in taxes from undeclared tips? Probably a lot. Tax the rich, absolutely, but make everyone accountable, ultimately.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-46097582833386055562011-06-18T00:32:29.170-05:002011-06-18T00:32:29.170-05:00Well, how do you explain this?
"The study, b...Well, how do you explain this?<br /><br />"The study, by a researcher at Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration, found that blacks tip on average 20 percent less than whites."<br /><br />http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1329241Wesleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08640616083474106033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-8932675156248004092011-06-16T02:06:34.527-05:002011-06-16T02:06:34.527-05:00as a long time server, it is disturbing how you ju...as a long time server, it is disturbing how you judge a table on looks alone. but you know what? stereotypes exist for a reason. If black people weren't such shitty tippers in the beginning they never would have gotten the bad rep. nope, they have created this mess and are too stubborn (or poor or ignorant) to correct it.<br />everyone gets the same service. unless you're throwing money at me when you first sit down to 'ensure' good care, you are all gonna get well taken care of. <br />just an fyi.. servers are TAXED on 10% of your check. so say your bill is $100.00, the IRS assumes the server made at least $10 off that table and taxes accordingly. Then there is the Tip Out; tip out to the bar, the bus boy, the food runner, the hostess, whatever.. If you dont tip, basically your waiter has PAID to serve YOU. <br />ensure good karma and tip 20%. Waiters aren't getting rich out there, just trying to pay the bills.vdawgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-90818816627275639242011-06-04T18:08:35.415-05:002011-06-04T18:08:35.415-05:00Okay this a very unfortuante sterortye... I am a s...Okay this a very unfortuante sterortye... I am a server..I treat all my guest the same regrdless of race or age..oh yes I am 23 & black. There are a few sterotypes when going into a restuarant if your young some server assume that you wont tip well, which I must admit most kids under the age of about 19 dont tip well..&then there's old people they can't tip, they tell you how pretty & sweet you are then leave you $2 & a bunch of nickles & dimes.. Im not going to play bingo or wash clothers..like seriously can I atleast get some quarters..(jp..kind of..just saying) they tip like 7%..(O_o)3rd is black ppl..who "don't tip"<br />which is not true by far, I am black and I tip well my family tips well also..Assuming that a table wont tip based on race is ignorant and a loss to your pockets rule#1 NEVER JUDGE A TABLE..you never know..my highest tip came from black couple which was $80..Once a I had a black couple yes they were annoying a compalined about more stuff then needed BUT I TREATED THEM WITH RESPECT LIKE I'D WANT TO BE TREATED. and guess what.. they left $20 of $38..I've encountered all types of rudeness & bad tippers..white,black mexican, chinese..you name it...grant it I'd hate to admit it but black folks, some of us can complain alot..(no offense)HOWEVER there are indeed some nasty rude non tipping WHITE poeple out there..BUT of course that slips under the radar..nobody talks about their nasty attiutudes..#TRUE FACT: anything a black person does get exagerrated and publicized..then unfortunaltly, it turns into STEROETYPE...BUT when a WHITE person does something nonbody remembers..ONE MORE THING before I go talk about all you servers and other small minded ignoranances black people probaly arent tipping you well, because you give them horrible &or less them sub par service.. because of the mere assumption that "black people dont tip"..I guareentee you if yout treat ALL guess the same like you'd want to be treated trust me you'll see a difference..negative thoughts-->bad attitude-->bad service= bad tip..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-54277865464269639562011-03-11T05:41:21.533-05:002011-03-11T05:41:21.533-05:0098% of fat black woman don't tip, ask for extr...98% of fat black woman don't tip, ask for extra if everything (even if they don't use it) complain about something and send it back, ignore you if you ask if the need anything else then scream at a random co-worker that they need more ranch. yell at you the entire time. make a mess. then don't tip, and or flip out about an auto grat. Also will ask for * million extra to-go container and possibly attempt to walk out on their check.<br /><br />98% of drunk sorority girls ask for 8 different mixed chilled shot. scream at the top of there lungS at there friends. spill shit. then and or puke/pass out and will give you %5,<br /><br />80% of jewish customers will complain, drop names, then tip 10-15% on the bill, if then dropped a great name and get a discount or things for free. they will tip the same on the billl they were given. if everything was free they will tip 0-%5<br /><br /><br />black guys, and frat boys can go either way depending on the size of your boobs and the knowlegde of the service industry.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-36474267418286348572011-03-04T18:38:59.509-05:002011-03-04T18:38:59.509-05:00I've been a server for nearly 9 years now and ...I've been a server for nearly 9 years now and it rails against all of my liberal upbringing to agree, but after years of trying to give everyone the exact same (hopefully perfect) service, I've finally broken down. Black people (in general) are TERRIBLE tables to serve.<br /><br />It would be one thing if the tips were just bad. I love waitressing and with my school schedule, it's really the only thing that works-- but I could deal with bad tips every night and then if the tables leaving them weren't also incredibly demanding, rude and condescending.<br /><br />I currently work as a cocktail waitress in a club. Certain nights with certain performers bring in certain kinds of guests (college students, old people, asian, black, etc). The nights where we know the performer is going to bring in a black crowd, the rush to get cut for the shift is deafening.<br /><br />You can bust your ass for a table, do everything in your power to get them their drinks as quickly as you can, with all the modifications asked for, while keeping the table spotless and the napkin under their glass fresh and still expect either a 5-8% tip, or to get stiffed entirely. Believe it or not, I'm Asian and my 5-8% is considered a GOOD tip compared to the other servers, all of whom are white.<br /><br />The thing that gets me most is the attitude I get from tables that think I'm being racist just because my whole section got sat at once and I excuse myself instead of standing there like a lemon while the whole table hems and haws about what they want... or I'm assumed to be racist because company policy is to take a credit card for every table (the cash and carry system doesn't WORK otherwise!). Moreover, I'm not a bloody robot. I need TIME to go get your drinks for you. My pitiful human feet need to walk across the room to do it. And doing it in reasonable human time earns me the title of crappy, racist waitress-- every time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-21784894550673275052010-12-20T13:05:42.171-05:002010-12-20T13:05:42.171-05:00From a server’s perceptive:
1) we do not cook the...From a server’s perceptive: <br />1) we do not cook the food, if you come in during a rush you and it takes 20-30 mins You cannot blame the server for the delay. Sometimes we are Double, triple, quadruple+ sat. I know in my case, I let my guests know and apologize in advance any delay the rush may cause them.<br />2) servers in NY make $4.65/hr… Yes, people can get another job if they are not satisfied with their income, but the cost of college is expensive, and a person under 24 years of age cannot claim independent for financial aid…and financial aid doesn’t cover 100% of the cost…or gas money or rent, etc. When attending to school full time as a main priority, 1 of the only part time jobs that you can make decent money(most part time jobs only pay minimum wage) in is Serving.<br />3) Yes, as a server, trust me I do understand that there are some servers that are horrible and rude and should not be working with people.<br />4) We cannot read your minds or moods.<br />5) IT IS NOT JUST THE SERVER YOU ARE TIPPING, 15% OF THE SERVERS TIPS GO TO THE BAR/HOSTS/BUSSER.<br />6) Standard tipping is 15-20+%,(doubling the tax is an easy way to tip in this range) <br /><br />JUST THINK: yesterday I had 4 tables.<br />The only white table I had left me $10 on a $34 check.<br />Black table #1 $7 on a $76 check,<br />and Black #2 (came straight from church and very well dressed) left me $12 on a $137 check. (and the older man had the nerve to insult my tattoo and my name)<br />Spanish table: $10 on a $70.<br /><br />I also notice that NO RACE compares or even comes close to the nasty attitudes, rudeness, and lack of manners I receive from Blacks. (I do not mean all blacks, just the MAJORITY that I, and my fellow co-workers have had to serve). At least spanish and asian people that don't tip well are more polite and nice to you.<br /><br /><br />BUT I have to tell you, I am very polite, cheerful, and want you to have the best experience... I know that NOT ALL black people don't tip well, but it is the MAJORITY that doesn't. And I still treat every table the same because you never know, they might be/or have been servers themselves and understand how much work serving really is.<br /><br />But it is INSULTING and discouraging to receive these consistently horrible tips. <br />If you can't do the math for 15-20% just double the tax<br />($50 +tax (8.625% in NY) 4.3125 = $54.31 Correct tip (when you have great service) MINIMUM should be double the tax which would be: tip: $8.60<br /><br />If you are tight cashed around the holiday and think that is good enough excuse to leave less than 15% on great service – think how tight cashed that broke college student that is serving you is also. And now bc you’re being cheap they have to tip out 15% of their 10% tip from you to the busser, hosts, bar. BOTTOMLINE: If you can’t afford to leave a few extra bucks, then stay home and cook your own food.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-42678831243018442102010-12-15T04:37:11.183-05:002010-12-15T04:37:11.183-05:00I've been serving and bartending for over 6 ye...I've been serving and bartending for over 6 years. I worked my waitressing job today. 6 tables of white folks, 3 tables of black folks. All of my white tables tipped 20-25%. 1 of my black tables tipped 8%, another almost 10%, and the last one had a bill of 31.17 and left 32, aka an .83 cent tip. The third table didn't speak much, but the other two were very polite, and 'seemed' like classy ppl, but their tips proved otherwise. I'm black, and I dread serving black ppl, I really do. I tip 25-30+ just to make up for 'US'. I tip 25-30% in hopes that I'll be remembered next time as someone that knows how to tip. <br /><br />And as for those ppl that dont think they have to tip, and that it should be the restaurants that pay more , put it this way: there's a reason service at wal-mart, and most fast-food restaurants is often not so great. It's because their workers are paid a regular minimum wage, which leaves their employees with very little incentive to provide exceptional service. i.e., if waiters were paid a normal minimum wage, well, you would probably always get pretty dull service. That would be the norm. And your 20 dollar entrée would be 25 to help pay the employees. Restaurants pay waiters 3-4 dollars an hour so that they will be enticed to provide good service. This wage is reflected in the price of their food. Otherwise restaurants would have to pay waiters 5-10 times as much an hour (to put up with the bs that they do), and your meal cost would be raised significantly.Crystalnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-9181673438560311702010-11-13T14:40:36.515-05:002010-11-13T14:40:36.515-05:00I have managed a restaurant for YEARS. I am white,...I have managed a restaurant for YEARS. I am white, but have no prejudice in my heart. It is a simple truth that they don't tip. They also play power games when they order their food. They also SEND FOOD BACK for ridiculous reasons. Because many servers KNOW in advance what is coming their way, it is very difficult as a manager to maintain standards. When dealing with an African American customer, I always treat them as any other customer, but make sure that they have agreed to their order before it is sent to the kitchen for these reasons.<br />I have seen many. many good servers develop an attitude and probably prejudice after dealing with the same problem African American customers typically display. It is sad to watch them create the very problem they are afraid of, prejudice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-72834721762188782992010-11-13T14:40:35.135-05:002010-11-13T14:40:35.135-05:00I have managed a restaurant for YEARS. I am white,...I have managed a restaurant for YEARS. I am white, but have no prejudice in my heart. It is a simple truth that they don't tip. They also play power games when they order their food. They also SEND FOOD BACK for ridiculous reasons. Because many servers KNOW in advance what is coming their way, it is very difficult as a manager to maintain standards. When dealing with an African American customer, I always treat them as any other customer, but make sure that they have agreed to their order before it is sent to the kitchen for these reasons.<br />I have seen many. many good servers develop an attitude and probably prejudice after dealing with the same problem African American customers typically display. It is sad to watch them create the very problem they are afraid of, prejudice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-60777663705862382992010-09-10T23:31:45.363-05:002010-09-10T23:31:45.363-05:00OK - I have served A LOT of people of different ra...OK - I have served A LOT of people of different races in the food industry, and I even did my own little study once, which concluded that 30% of blacks don't tip as opposed to 10% hispanics and 4% whites. <br />But I noticed that the older, classier blacks DO tip, while the younger Section 8 types with names like KeyShawn and TraShanna do not. So it's also a class/education thing. But I found that even obviously-poor whites usually tip. Make of it what you will. <br /><br />LongstreetAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-25083599163661718262010-07-16T15:00:23.817-05:002010-07-16T15:00:23.817-05:00First, that lady did a bad job, no question. That ...First, that lady did a bad job, no question. That was either incompetent or worse intentional, and either way unprofessional. If she can't handle one more table she needs to give it to another person. <br /><br />I'll be honest. When I worked as a server I did not dread all black people (well dressed older black couples tipped well) per se, but if they were young, black, dressed "urban/street", and talked in a similar fashion (and if they were with their date/girlfriend, bc he pays for everything), I tried to do the best I could, but I subconsciously I probably gave them a lower priority. Especially if they complained about something. <br /> This is not fair to a person just because they are black, but if you are black I would recommend trying to speak less street, and try to be friendly and smile (not hostile or standoffish) and try to stay polite and understanding if ONE small mistake happens. I would be less than polite if things keep happening, or I would give them a smaller tip.Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-66850013738438080832010-07-11T18:51:29.916-05:002010-07-11T18:51:29.916-05:00Look, when you come across 95% of a race who are e...Look, when you come across 95% of a race who are either uneducated about the service industry (3.13 hour) or they really are too dumb to get it, its hard not to prepare yourself to get screwed. Its a PROBLEM in the industry! Far too many servers end up losing money when they wait on Black People. That's right, LOSING money! You see, servers tip out 3-6% of their sales. That means if a Black Person's tab is $100 and they leave a $5 tip, you lose a dollar of the money you came to work with in order to pay a 6% tip out. Its not that hard too calculate a tip. Learn how to do it! <br />There should be a server union and every server should donate $5 to run an ad campaign on BET, WB, democratic conventions, NBA (sorry, white audience, black players), radio, etc.. Either learn and participate in tipping like the rest of the population or stay home and eat Pigs Feet and BBQ on your grills with aluminum foil covering the surface area ( you know the temperature gets hot enough to kill germs on the grill rack, right?) And get your own damn straws, Water, lemons and splenda!<br />Being a server is hard work, if you don't believe it, gets off of your fat diabeties ass' and give it a shot. You will have respect for every person who does the occupation.<br /> <br />Finally, we need Restaurant Owners with a spine. If you see someone not participating in the tipping rules everyone else in our society is expected to live by, Tell patrons they are not welcome. Stand Up for the people who absolutely bust their ass' on a daily basis to profit your business! I bet you The word will spread and people will respect your business and you will stay busy.Kevin Snoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-54498979833240279242010-07-01T20:22:28.667-05:002010-07-01T20:22:28.667-05:00I really try not to judge tables... i have been wo...I really try not to judge tables... i have been working a restaurant for over 3 years trying to get myself through college. I have had many bad tables along the way some due to poor service some do to just cheap tippers. But anyways i hate to sounds like racist but BLACKS DONT TIP... yes there is the occasional table that shocks me but i always do my very best and give all tables the best service i can normally if i screw up it is my fault and i deserve a low tip. But i have worked in a restaurant that serves mainly blacks for over a month now and its not fun. I worked 12 hours gave the best service i could and id say out of the many tables i had i only messed up on one table bad the rest were good service no problems and very polite. My sales were a little over $1,300 so i shoulda walked with about $260 maybe more if tips were what they should be. I walked with $115 in 12 hours. That is horrible i made more in 5 hours at pizza hut in ocean city maryland. I had checks that were $150 and got a tip of $10. Overall i say blacks do "tip" but they TIP LOW and i have noticed they complain. that is the truth and i hate to say it but When i see a black table in my section i know already chances are 85% that tip will be low but hopefully it will be good. I had a lady that was very kind and an amazing person to wait on she told me blacks dont tip, blacks complain and thats how 85% of them are and she told me hopefully her generosity helps for the other table that was grilling me because i forgot a lemon when they could clearly see i had 5 other tables besides them. SO OVERALL BLACKS TIP LIKE CRAP AND NEED TO GO TO TIP SCHOOL IF YOU CANT TIP 20% dont go out. GIVE THE WAITER A REASON TO BELIVE OTHERWISE>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-15864957756245056142010-06-27T08:22:11.722-05:002010-06-27T08:22:11.722-05:00This is one of the BEST posts/blogs I've ever ...This is one of the BEST posts/blogs I've ever read.<br /><br />I've been a server for almost a year now. However; I previously worked in a government job for eight years in a predominantly black community. My child is half black. I am white. My best friends are all black.<br /><br />Before I greet a table I have to remind myself to have a smile and try to make a good impression because things can get hectic as a server and I also don't want to make my tables feel rushed. And also because when sat with young teenagers, asians, or black women I don't want my face to show I'm disappointed.<br /><br />I still greet every table with a friendly smile. I still start off with excellent service.<br /><br />I have to be very blunt and honest. I switched my previous job primarily because the majority of customers were blacks who didn't tip well. There is no excuse for it. And I'm an EXCELLENT server. I will give every single table great, attentive service. I will run to the kitchen 50 times to make sure you're food is right. I will fill your kids cups five times because I know what it's like to have a whiny child. And I will even take the unwarranted eye rolling from black women, the 10 minute menu quiz with an additional 15 minutes for substitute questions in order to get a better tip. It just doesn't make a difference.<br /><br />However, there is only so much one person can take before believing a stereotype to reality. Even when tables give 15%, I take it as an insult. It would be safe to say that a lot of people think 15% is average, but I am not. Nor do I give service that warrants a 15% tip. If you cannot afford to tip more than that, then please do not go out. You are COSTING your servers money. We tip out a significant amount of money to bartenders, food runners, and busers. We cannot afford to wait on tables who tip poorly at a $2.13 hourly wage. Do we know you're going to tip poorly when you walk in? No. But if I have the choice to serve a white table vs a black table (especially a table of black women) I will ALWAYS choose the white table. Hands down. I can't handle the bitchiness, awful looks like I've just insulted them as I'm bringing refills, and overall disgusting attitude in addition to a crappy tip. I don't even want to talk about manners. That's a whole other rant right there.<br /><br />Are there others I would not rather serve? Of course. Asians are awful tippers as well. I'm sure if everyone I knew started omitting tips at all the Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, and any other Asian restaurants maybe they would start thinking. If we then told them we'll start leaving tips at their restaurants when they start leaving them at ours, I'm sure there would be a different response.<br /><br />My point is: If you have a problem with your server~TELL THEM. Tell them straight away that you were upset about waiting for something. They will more than likely apologize and if they're a good server, they'll even tell you why they were slow in service(sorting silverware to be washed, doing sidework, ect.) And there's a really good chance if you tell them they were lacking in service, they'll more than likely be attentive to you until you leave.<br /><br />Also I would like to add, if you have come into a restaurant for a business meeting or just to have a leisurely meal tell your server as well. They then know if your food should come out faster or slower. <br /><br />And if you are a regular at a restaurant request a server who you like. Chances are they'll like you too and serve you better because you frequently dine in.<br /><br />Please tip your servers what they deserve based on the total check. A $50 check would play out like this:<br /><br />10%(poor service)= $5<br />15%(average service)= $7.50<br />20%(pretty good service)= $10<br />25%(excellent service)= $12.50<br />30%(the best service you've had all year OR pretty good service from a fellow server)= $15.00Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-46081937231289330682010-06-22T07:23:46.965-05:002010-06-22T07:23:46.965-05:00My wife and I just had this conversation last nigh...My wife and I just had this conversation last night. Waiting to get out of my parking garage in DC the other day, a very well dressed black woman, maybe 50ish, driving an Infinity SUV was taking her time while the parking attendant, a guy who has worked in the garage for years, held the door for her. She held out her hand as if giving him a tip, he held his hand out to receive it, but there was nothing in her hand. She wanted it to look like she gave him a tip to anyone paying attention but did not give him one. The only vantage point this was clear from was mine, behind them and slightly lower down the ramp. The parking attendant had a startled look on his face and when out of her sight mouthed a few words and made a hand gesture in her direction as she drove off. <br /><br />That being on my mind, that evening my family and I went out to dinner in our neighborhood, an upscale suburb of DC. We were sitting at the outside tables of a Thai restaurant and the table next to us was a black family, very well dressed, with several children. There was a band playing nearby so after their meal, the black family stayed at their table for most of our meal listening to the band. They repeatedly asked for drink refills, etc. and before leaving asked for go-cups for their kids soft drinks. The left moments before us even though they were finished with their meal when we arrived. I had the opportunity to see their credit card receipt on the table as I left. No tip. And this restaurant has excellent service.<br /><br />It's a darn shame but many stereotypes exist because they are true. Not all the time but frequent enough to be fact. I find it terribly interesting to observe these types of behavior, maybe it's the voyeur in me.<br /><br />I normally tip 20%+ based on service and often am out with clients at very nice restaurants. Once, at a restaurant in the area, my family and I had such bad service that I actually finally got up and refilled my kids soda's from the fountain myself. We asked 3 times for a check before getting one. It was the worst service I've ever received. My wife, normally a good tipper, encouraged me to not tip and I agreed so we did't. When I received my AmEx bill the next month, the waitress had added a nice tip for herself. I called AmEx and had the tip removed and called the restaurant to complain. The manager didn't seem to care. We've never been back.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-10175195553535634792010-06-12T21:31:48.179-05:002010-06-12T21:31:48.179-05:00I'm sorry, but it's not just people of low...I'm sorry, but it's not just people of lower socioeconomic status. For one thing, I've often found blue-collar white people to be really generous, actually. I have consistently found black people - no matter what socioeconomic class they appeared to belong to - to be terrible tippers. It honestly doesn't seem to matter if they're wearing scruffy clothing or an Armani suit and gold watch. I don't know why, but they consistently tip poorly. I hate to say that, but it's been true the vast majority of the time. I will say, though, that black customers of a higher social class at least are more polite. Lower-class black customers frequently are incredibly loud and negative, in addition to being cheap.<br /><br />I have no explanation as to why black people are such poor tippers. I assume it's born of simple ignorance. Somehow it seems acceptable in the black community to leave little to no tip. If more people understood that tips are an important source of income for us, I do think they'd start to be more generous.Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-1477269713881690592010-06-06T04:16:29.753-05:002010-06-06T04:16:29.753-05:00It has nothing to do with skin color.
Nothing AT ...It has nothing to do with skin color.<br /><br />Nothing AT ALL.<br /><br />Servers are not racist and they are not dumb -- we realize that cheap people come in all races and generous people come in all races. You are just as likely to receive a banging 30% tip from a black couple as you are to receive a banging 30% tip from a white couple -- it's completely random and all this talk of race having to do with it is misguided.<br /><br />What it really is though? It's culture.<br /><br />Specifically, it's people from lower socio-economic statuses -- I'm talking lower-earning, lower-educated Americans -- "rednecks"/"ghetto" people/FOBs/whatever the heck you wanna call them.<br /><br />These people on average have no idea that 15% is what you're expected to tip, they have no idea that servers only make $2 as a base salary per hour and that tips make up the difference, and they have no idea that you're supposed to be polite and courteous to your server on a very basic level when eating out.<br /><br />It's these sucky people that propagate the stereotypes and misconceptions. <br /><br />Author of the post - your server was just a bigoted, misperceiving retard. I guarantee a large majority of the rest of us don't think that way. As a server, I also apologize on her behalf - she put you in a shitty moral situation and all y'all wanted to was have a few beers and eat some good wings. I hope her career in serving is short lived.<br /><br />But again, I and most of the servers I know have nothing against any specific race. It's just those certain groups of people (regardless of skin color), the ones I mentioned, that suck to wait on. <br /><br />Another thing alot of people don't realize - we as waiters have to tip out our support staff -- hosts, busboys, cooks, etc. - anywhere from 1-4%... when you stiff us on the tip, you're essentially forcing us to pay for your meal. How freaking pissed would you be if you had to pay for your customers/clients things at your job, anywhere from 5 to 10 times a day? THATS why we hate waiting on those "certain groups of people".<br /><br />Anyways, just my input. Author, again, sorry you got stuck with Kristen. Hope she learns her lesson soon and realizes that cheap and generous people exist independent of race. <br /><br />Great post, great discussion.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-89307918972616235472010-06-03T09:10:47.015-05:002010-06-03T09:10:47.015-05:00My wife has been a server for about a month. She&...My wife has been a server for about a month. She's from Europe and has never seen a black person until she arrived in the USA. This is the honest-to-God truth. I remember her arriving in New York and asking me, "Why is everyone in America black?", and it was so funny and unexpected.<br /><br />Within about a month she's become a hard core racist based on her own personal experience. She comes home from work in tears because the black guests always stiff her, are rude and "act like they are in the zoo". I can imagine how angry I'd be working 6-7 hours and making only $20 because 1/3 of the tables stiff you.<br /><br />She's an accountant, but took this job to improve her English (which she speaks fine). I try to invite her to DC to meet some educated black friends / co-workers, but her mind is made up and she's not interested. I tell them my wife is a hard core racist and they laugh, but I don't think they know how serious I am.<br /><br />It's sad that racism exists in this country, but even the blacks from Africa usually don't like black African-Americans. That's my personal experience anyway. If my wife's experience, (her without the corruption of growing up with any stereotypes), can teach us anything, maybe it's that the majority of blacks are uneducated, poor and/or act like idiots. That in turn makes life unfair for the minority of blacks that are educated and/or act like the rest of us.<br /><br />Just my .02YorkPAnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-43363724912617212272010-05-31T00:42:28.718-05:002010-05-31T00:42:28.718-05:00Full disclosure: I am a white female who has worke...Full disclosure: I am a white female who has worked in the restaurant industry as a server and bartender for 12 years.<br /><br />While it's not fair to stereotype, the number of servers who give poor service to black people because they don't expect a tip is just about equal to the number of black people who don't tip because they felt they were stereotyped for whatever reason. Unfortunately, it's all too often that a good server meets a bad tipper, or a good tipper meets a bad server.<br /><br />How do we rectify the situation so that all parties are treated fairly? It's pretty simple. YOUR bad tip will not serve as a "lesson" for me to become a better server. If you have a problem with the server, speak up! There may be underlying circumstances that you are not aware of (short-staffed in the kitchen, a new/inexperienced server, a lack of communication, etc.), so if you feel your service is not up to par, ask for a manager. (By the way, this is directed at the general public, not the author of this post)<br /><br />Would you rather receive better service, or just spend less money? If your goal is better service and a better experience at the restaurant, it's in everyone's best interest to make your needs known so that we (the restaurant staff) can make it better. I would love nothing better than to serve you properly... it's not a matter of how much money I think I can get out of you, but it's basic human kindness. My job is to make sure you're having a good time, but if I don't know there's a problem, there's nothing I can do about it, and if you wait until you leave to leave me a poor tip and a nasty note, neither one of us benefits.<br /><br />Typically, the best tips come from other service industry workers (current or former), and the worst tips come from those who have never waited tables. Could it be that a lot of black people just don't have experience waiting tables? It's possible. Basically, if we just treat each other like human beings, from both sides of the table, no one has to suffer. Communication is key!<br /><br />For all black people who feel they receive poor service because of the color of their skin, I truly apologize, but please know that, just the same as not all blacks are bad tippers, not all servers are racist or prejudiced! Please don't make me suffer because another server treated you badly.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2408185959146294592.post-17638359047534921412010-05-23T16:44:20.142-05:002010-05-23T16:44:20.142-05:00I am a waitress, and no matter the color or age I ...I am a waitress, and no matter the color or age I give my guest 100% service that way if they tip me poorly I can be pissed and if they tip well I will be proud. I have come across time where I went above and beyond for a table and got 4 of 70 or some crap like that. As a WHITE girl sometimes I feel like the tip me off my skin not my service. once a party (black) left my friend nothing but gave the black busser 70 bucks. wtf? you're cool. Overall I would say they tip worse but their are bad white tipper also.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com