Should You Tip?

By Lorraine Jazleene Biteranta on March 31, 2014

From Emdot’s flickr

We have all experienced being helped by a server who clearly does not appreciate his or her job. Maybe he had a bad day, rude customers, or was simply tired and took it out on you. Maybe she just suffered from a bad break up or a fight with her parents and work was the last place she wanted to be. Regardless, when a person comes into work, he or she is expected to put aside all personal issues and offer their customers a great experience. So, when you sit down to enjoy a fine meal at your favorite restaurant and the entire experience is ruined by the server’s lack of hospitality, is he or she still entitled to a tip?

My honest opinion is that nobody is entitled to a tip. We see articles all the time stating that everybody should always tip the ten percent minimum regardless of how the server acted. We see the arguments that state that servers survive only on their tips, or that their minimum wage income is nowhere near enough to make a living without tips.  In the opinions of servers, if you can’t afford to tip, then you cannot afford to eat out.

Personally, though, if a server shows even the slightest bit of bad attitude, including but not limited to:  rolling eyes, lack of smiles, ignoring my table on a slow day, rushing my table, snapping at my table, or showing any other signs of clear annoyance, then don’t expect me to shell out even one extra dollar for my meal. After all, why should anybody reward negative behaviors? The more you tip a bad server, the more that server believes he or she can get away with such actions.

In response to the argument that servers live off of their tips, I would like to point out that many employees who work minimum wage jobs (myself included) are not allowed to accept tips when given, and yet I am not homeless, my pets are not starving, and I am not complaining. If a person was really in need of the extra money that tips give them, then they need to get another job or pick up more hours – either of which could be done if the person was competent. That also means prioritizing between work and school.  This choice has been made by thousands before you and will continue being made by thousands after.

Even if the server only received a one dollar tip, that is one dollar more than the tipper was obligated to give, and one dollar more than the server had before the tip. This makes it in poor taste when a “bad tip” is complained about. I’m sure I speak for hundreds when I say that servers need to quit complaining, posting, and whining about tips. If you routinely are tipped “poorly,” then you need to check your attitude. Servers need to remember that they did not put the time and effort into creating the meals, they are simply walking them over to the tables.

All this being said, if you serve me and I receive great service, then in turn I will leave a great tip. If not, I will play no part in offering you extra money for your bad behavior. I will leave without tipping and without feeling guilty or shameful, and my fellow tippers should do the same.

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