Man arrested for not tipping at NY restaurant

[jackwanders]

http://www.helenair.com/articles/2004/09/1...01091104_06.txt

This is ridiculous. Now it's the LAW to pay gratuity? Hello, gratuity's supposed to be a reward for good service.

You know who's fault this is? Restaurant owners. They've taken the concept of gratuity, abused the hell out of it and use it as an excuse to pay their hard working waiters and waitresses crap. "Hey, let's offload some more of our overhead onto our customers! Now we only have to pay our waitresses $3/hr. Great!"

If restaurant owners would pay their waiting staff what they're worth, than gratuity would be gratuity and diners would be able to tip accordingly once again and feel good about it, instead of feeling forced to tip for crappy service just so the waitress can eat.

:no:

[empty]

in all fairness, unless the waiter is hurling abuse or actually ruining your night then i think its quite rude to not tip. the guy is going out of his way to carry a plate to your table and ensure your night goes well and if that isnt worth a measly 10% then shame on you.

[spiegel]

its pathetic on both sides for the guy because he has to understand that some waiters and waitresses live on those tips, and for the restaurant for going to such extreme measures, and its also bad publicity :no:

[empty]

its pathetic on both sides for the guy because he has to understand that some waiters and waitresses live on those tips, and for the restaurant for going to such extreme measures, and its also bad publicity :no:

for once i agree with you.

[beh]

Sure its rude not to tip, but of coarse its not mandatory.

[mufdvr3669]

You say they should just pay the waiter's better and that you shouldn't have to tip. Where do you think this money is going to come from, YOU. What would be your solution Jack, raise the prices of the food 15%???

[jackwanders]

in all fairness, unless the waiter is hurling abuse or actually ruining your night then i think its quite rude to not tip. the guy is going out of his way to carry a plate to your table and ensure your night goes well and if that isnt worth a measly 10% then shame on you.

I never said it was ok to not tip at all.

In the current state, I think a 10% tip is minimum. But again, it's because waiting staff people don't get paid enough to get by. The onus is on us, the customers, to supplement their income so they can feed themselves, and heaven forbid, their family.

Was this guy an ass for not tipping? Sure. Should he go to jail. Absolutely not. If you're going to add gratuity to parties over a certain number, don't call it 'gratuity'. Add it as a 'large party surcharge' or something with the addition, "No gratuity necessary".

[oldmate15]

I have worked as a waiter at a training restaurant. Tips should only be given for great service. But, sadly, waiters rely on tips because their income is so low.

[spiegel]

for once i agree with you.

what does that mean :dontgetit:

[allfive6]

I hope he sue's the hell out of them. I know it normal for people in the food service area to think it is ok to charge it but I don't. If every industry charge extra for doing what there already paid to do where would we be? And beside maybe he poor service and did not want to tip. I only tip if the service was good and if I get bad service I don't feel one bit bad about leaven nothing.

[jackwanders]

You say they should just pay the waiter's better and that you shouldn't have to tip.  Where do you think this money is going to come from, YOU.  What would be your solution Jack, raise the prices of the food 15%???

Obviously the money comes from the customer in the end, but the method is all screwed up. There should be a balance between wage and tipping. Right now, most waitresses make almost all their money on tips. That doesn't seem right.

You ask how the restaurants can pay their waitresses more and still make money. Problem is, when this all started, it was used as a way for restaurants to start making a hell of a lot more money than they were making previously. Now restaurants have grown accustom to this new 'lifestyle' if you will.

Unfortunately, it's way too late to change anything. The 'mandatory gratuity' thing has stuck, and it isn't going anywhere. I'm simply speaking in ideals.

[allfive6]

the guy is going out of his way to carry a plate to your table and ensure your night goes well and if that isnt worth a measly 10% then shame on you.

it is his job.

[SkInvision]

That is very, very stupid to arrest somebody for not tipping!

[episode]

Well I just looked through my copy of the times ... and this story is not in it.

[empty]

it is his job.

yeah, hes being paid to run around after your lazy ass and the least you can do is tip him!

[episode]

Also, I know in CT (not sure about NY) that theft of less than $100 is a fine, not imprisonment. I can't imagine cops making an arrest in this case, because they know it would be laughed out of court.

gratuity

A favor or gift, usually in the form of money, given in return for service.

gratuity

2. Something voluntarily given in return for a favor or service, as a recompense or acknowledgment.

gratuity

n 1: a relatively small amount of money given for services rendered (as by a waiter)

2: an award (as for meritorious service) given without claim or obligation

If this is a real story, which I doubt, the court case would last all of 15 seconds.

[Hupp]

^its his job, i don't get tipped to help people in buy a computer oo wait cause its my job. I think tipping is crap, usually im a big tipper but overall i think its total bs, i think its been taken way too far. The fact that they can make $150 a busy night in gratiuty is too easy, ive worked at a restraunt and worked in dept. stores, they work the same but the tipping has gone too far now. Not only do you have to pay for over priced food but pay the hourly wage of your waiter/waitress, its total bs

[mthibadeau]

I think everyone is missing the point here. He was arrested for not paying the gratuity that was included in the bill for a party of 8. Most restaurants include a gratuity for parties of 6 or more. That was the stated policy of the restaurant and the patron should have known it, as it was included in the bill. Having worked in restaurants, I can tell you that a party of 8 is difficult and noone should be stiffed, unless they provide less than acceptable service.

[Xe|oN]

God, you Americans! Tipping is the law?! Sheesh! I bet you Australian waiters get a nice surprise when Americans come over and eat in our restaurants. If its compulsory/law restaurants should simply raise their prices to offset it.

As previously stated, gratuity should be just that, gratuity and if you were to leave a tip it should only be for good service and certainly not law. I'm sure if the law didn't exist and restaurants raised their prices to pay their waiters better waiters would end up getting paid more due to people tipping because of the good service not because it was the law.

[Alyxandres]

I have heard once that another reason a person tips is because someone has to clean up after them. More of a "Thanks for picking up our trash payment", Although I agree that it has gotten out of hand.

[Mac-It-Up]

tip when the service is good... if the service sucks then why should he have to tip?? :blink:

[SkInvision]

Tipping is not a law in Iowa i know, and if it was, most iowans would be arrested

[+Mystic MVC]

Tipping is not a law in Iowa i know, and if it was, most iowans would be arrested

lol same here for Nebraska :D

[Gary_Player]

For parties of 6 or more 18% is standard. I don't have any problems leaving a good tip if the service was good, and not leaving much of a tip if it was horrible. You have to remember that alot of people are trying to make a living off their tips so I try to help out whenever I can (I'm a broke college kid too :s )

Try working as a waiter or a bartender, then you'll learn to tip :)

[Mac-It-Up]

oh i have no problem tipping... but seriously it shouldn't be manditory.... what if you got a jackass waiter??