903: What's Yours is Mine

[Blitzgal]

Originally Posted by Eightball

If you're working as a waiter, and the work is too hard and the pay is too small... GO DO SOMETHING ELSE stupid.

This is a fresh new perspective? I do not think that word means what you think it means.

I find it hilarious and pathetic when people turn their noses up at service industry workers and consider them lesser or stupid simply because it happens to be their job to provide a direct service to their customers. If every waiter quit tomorrow who would get you a fork? The jobs have to get done by somebody. There's no reason to rub someone's nose in shit and act all superior just because they serve you food. I sit in a cubicle and stare at a computer screen all day. Does this make me a better person than a waiter or a sales clerk? Fuck, no! Most of us have stupid jobs. If you feel the need to take a power trip over anyone who serves you to make yourself feel better, then you're a sad, little person.

And I do not believe for one second that you tip well, not after that screed.

[Eightball]

Originally Posted by Blitzgal

This is a fresh new perspective? I do not think that word means what you think it means.

I find it hilarious and pathetic when people turn their noses up at service industry workers and consider them lesser or stupid simply because it happens to be their job to provide a direct service to their customers. If every waiter quit tomorrow who would get you a fork? The jobs have to get done by somebody. There's no reason to rub someone's nose in shit and act all superior just because they serve you food. I sit in a cubicle and stare at a computer screen all day. Does this make me a better person than a waiter or a sales clerk? Fuck, no! Most of us have stupid jobs. If you feel the need to take a power trip over anyone who serves you to make yourself feel better, then you're a sad, little person.

And I do not believe for one second that you tip well, not after that screed.

My company provides construction clean-up for large projects. I work in an office sometimes, and sometimes I'm on the ground floor working with the crews. So don't try to sell anyone on this I think I'm better than the waiter bullshit, I've been keeping my hands dirty ever since I was 14.
If all of a sudden construction companies would begin tipping the clean-up crews, I'm sure there would be some workers that would switch over to that method of pay, and be happy with it. If the entire industry switched over to tipping (as with most of the waitering work), then the clean-up crews who would get tipped nothing would probably want to quit cleaning-up, and would explore new jobs.
What I'm saying is, don't get pissy that you don't get tipped what you want to get tipped. No one is forcing you to do the work. If it's not right for you, then go do something else. Don't sell me on this "all waiters would quit" shit either, some waiters would keep their jobs and be happy with their lives.

I'm saying this because that's the way capitalism works, not because I fell high and mighty to some people.

And yes I do tip well. I go out to eat very seldom, and when I do go out to have a good meal, a generous gratuity if part of the experience (my personal choice). What else can I say?

[BrownEyedBtch]

I know I've said this before, but most people don't understand what tips mean until they or someone they know have had to live off of them. Until you know how much of your life depends on what some asshole doesn't give you, you can't sit here and say that it's okay to not tip someone because the system is flawed, or because they earn a standard wage anyway. Next time you walk into some breakfast joint and see some middle-aged woman busting her ass for $3 per table, think about how many tables she has to take shit from to get what you get in a day. Next time you walk into Starbucks, think about the baristas back there busting their asses for minimum wage, hoping they get an extra $2 an hour at the end of the week from the tip jar. These wages are set because the tips are expected to make up a difference. Are you expected to tip? Yes. Are you required to? No. Are we expected to give you good service? Yes. Are we required to? No. So you don't get to stir the pot and claim the company who made the pot is at fault.

[McNally]

I don't think anybody's posted this yet: The Tipping Scene that kicks off Reservoir Dogs. As relevant today as it was in 1992.

[BrownEyedBtch]

I think it was posted in another thread.

[McNally]

It could get posted on every page of this thread. It's the debate of the century!

I tend to get confused about percentages. Some people think I tip well, other's have said I tip badly, mostly because I tip about the same regardless of the bill. So at a diner it's generous, but at fancy places it's not enough. My head just doesn't calculate that shit well, so I wing it. Or if I'm with somebody, I just ask them what I should tip.

[Blitzgal]

Originally Posted by McNally

I tend to get confused about percentages. Some people think I tip well, other's have said I tip badly, mostly because I tip about the same regardless of the bill. So at a diner it's generous, but at fancy places it's not enough. My head just doesn't calculate that shit well, so I wing it. Or if I'm with somebody, I just ask them what I should tip.

You pay for food?

[McNally]

I didn't say I was happy about it. A man's gotta eat.

[BrownEyedBtch]

Originally Posted by McNally

It could get posted on every page of this thread. It's the debate of the century!

I tend to get confused about percentages. Some people think I tip well, other's have said I tip badly, mostly because I tip about the same regardless of the bill. So at a diner it's generous, but at fancy places it's not enough. My head just doesn't calculate that shit well, so I wing it. Or if I'm with somebody, I just ask them what I should tip.

I don't necessarily agree that the tip should solely be based on the amount of the check. I have busted my ass on serving $5 beers, but have had an easy time serving a $40 crudite. I would think the tip for the busier job should be better. But I understand how the check is the gauge for the tip, because it takes the judgement out of the equation. People will still think that I didn't work hard enough to earn $8 when I just gave them one dish, or will not see how hard I worked making 8 rounds of beers. No matter what, it is subjective.

[Thumbnail]

This made me think of the nazis versus arabs discussion:

BLITZKRIEG When you only stop for kittens - nazi, lolcats, war - Moronail.net - Ars gratia hilaris.