It makes me really angry when restaurants do this (which many in the USA do). It defeats the whole purpose of tips. Tips are meant to reward good service and they are at the SOLE discretion of the customer.
Recently, I went to a restaurant, where we were a group of 6. We got poor service, and groups of 6 or more were subjected to an 18% gratuity. Needless to say, I was VERY ANGRY about having to pay 18% to a piece of trash waitress. But the waitress had the audacity to say “you know, you’re supposed to leave 18-20% additional tip, on top of the mandatory gratuity. I replied. “I’ll give a tip to your manager. Get him or her out here please.” I told the manager what happened, and he waived the 18% tip. Out of a bill of $160, I left 7 cents as a tip.
Yes, I know that some restaurants split tips between all staff. It’s irrelevant to me though, as it comes out of my paycheck either way.
Yes, I know that sometimes it is the kitchen’s fault. But it’s not my job to determine where the fault was. The only thing I can control is how much tip I leave, and if I am dissatisfied with the service, I CAN and WILL leave a low tip.
Yes, I also know that servers deal with a lot of rude customers. That’s not my problem.
Yes, I know that servers make most of their money from tips. All the more reason to provide the best service you can!
✅ Answers
Answerer 1
Are you arrogant or have you never had to do any physical labor? My experience and the experience of friends who’ve waited tables is that people who can afford a nice tip rarely leave one and working people always leave a good tip. What made the waitress “trashy”? How was the service bad? Where are the details? Everyone is not your “hired help”. A $160 bill is a lot of food and drinks for 6 people – at an inexpensive restaurant. Next time go to an expensive place that will treat you in the manner you think you deserve to be treated – and I’d bet every cent I have that you won’t leave them much of a tip either. That you’re cheap, judgmental, hyper-critical, controlling and demanding is not the wait staff’s problem but, if I were you, I wouldn’t go back to that restaurant unless you want spit and boogers in your food.
Answerer 2
It’s a service charge the restaurant is allowed to add, more often than not, the server will not see it. Also, tips are to supplement the server’s income, not to be given or taken away on a whim. The “trash waitress” was rude, but she may have had a bad day. Chances are, you aren’t docked pay for having an attitude at your job, and she shouldn’t be either.
Answerer 3
I’m a waitress. Once I had a table of 7 people. I was so on top of them, they didn’t once have to ask for drink refills. Everything was perfect, they told me they loved the service, loved the food, had a great time.
They left me $5 on their $165 check.
That’s why restaurants have a mandatory gratuity for large parties. So many servers, including myself, have been screwed miserably over. It’s not FAIR.
Since then, I make the gratuity is added to every single large party, whether they’re white, black, trashy, classy—it doesn’t matter. I don’t like working for free. I especially don’t like PAYING to work, (I literally lose money) because some trashy large family decided to leave 7 cents as a tip.