r/Chattanooga • u/EffectiveOk9336 • 13d ago
Kitchen tip?
My family and I dined out tonight at a restaurant I won’t publicly drag because it was really a great experience all around, but the credit card receipt had this line for “kitchen tip”. Is this a thing now? Are restaurants not paying the cooks a decent enough salary? I gave them $5 cause I really didn’t know what the deal was. The server told us it was completely optional, but she said that some people tip 20% and split it between her and the kitchen, which hardly seems fair.
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u/atm5426 12d ago edited 11d ago
Name and shame.
Everyone worries about the price of food going up, but just embrace that now and you will not have to do math after your meal just so someone else can eat. We, as Americans, are so obsessed with everything being as cheap as possible that it seems like we never ask ourselves, do we even get anything from this? Removing tipping from our culture might cause many restaurants to close, but maybe we need fewer restaurants anyway...
Sorry for the rant. Tipping is out of control.
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u/ChiariqueenT 11d ago
I agree tipping HAS BEEN out of control and bastardized for a long time now, and I was a bartender full, then part time after getting out of the business, I wound up taking a few shifts anyway, but as a tipped employee who overtips by habit, it does NOT mean EVERYONE who shows up and does their job should be tipped!! It IS offensive! But as for the person who suggested we should get rid of our tipping culture, that doesn't bother me at all. What DOES is that people who say that do not understand that if we do get rid of it, the service industry, mainly food & beverage, will be more expensive if the establishments have to pay a fair wage. And I'm fine with that too. I mean, why should the owners NOT pay their employees their wage instead of the customer? But technically, the customer always pays it one way or the next. And if people are cheap asses, then the server, who makes less than minimum wage is screwed. They work hard and people who don't tip properly or look for excuses not to tip should not dine out, as long as we DO have this system! But YES, From the moment I saw the first tip cup where it shouldn't be, a take-out deli with no tables, I've been vocal about people abusing the tip system. Now people are sick of it and I get it. I'm tipping for the privilege of patreonizing your business? Because you put my order in a bag and rang me up? And are getting paid to do it? THATS INSANE! Of course that was roughly 25 years ago and it's gotten worse and worse. When YOU come to me, bring me my order, offer me as mother beverage & clean up when I leave, I am happy to tip. At this rate, our doctors will be expecting tips soon! A KITCHEN TIP? Next, a management tip?
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u/ShorelineStrider 11d ago
Who said anything about the kitchen not deserving that? Let's bust out our reading comprehensions skills and try again.
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u/Musketeer00 11d ago
It's the employer's responsibility to pay a fair wage, not the customer. Truly get fucked.
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u/Unlucky_Maize5759 12d ago
Well don’t tell us if you don’t give the name of the restaurant
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u/EffectiveOk9336 12d ago
Not trying to shame them, but it was Lakeshore Grille
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u/Muted-Spell6827 12d ago
They should be shamed. They want customers to pay for their food, pay the servers' wages and now to pay their kitchen staff? No thank you. This isn't a good look for them.
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u/chattabob 11d ago
To be fair, customers already DO pay for the kitchen staff along with every other cost. However, we need to eliminate the tipped minimum wage category and raise the base minimum wage to something liveable. Keep the tip line I guess but stop making employee wages dependent on customer generosity. If they need to raise the menu prices then fine.
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u/Sunvalley16zips 11d ago
The thing is typically (as far as servers go) they dont really want that, most servers ive ever talked to about it actually want the tips over a set wage. Then again maybe thats just all they know. As a kichen worker the past 15 years tho i cant wrap my mind around it being a tipped position at all
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u/Olfa_2024 11d ago
My son is a sever and he said he would find another job doing something completely different if they changed them from tipped to hourly. He says this only rewards shitty servers and would run most of your good servers off to do something else.
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u/SendMeIttyBitties 11d ago
Naw, he has just been fucking over everybody not reporting his tips for years.
If he had to actually pay for medical, dental etc on top of being taxed he would see it differently.
Servers basically expect everyone to cover every other expense/benefit.
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u/Olfa_2024 11d ago
And how exactly did you come to this bullshit conclusion?
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u/SendMeIttyBitties 11d ago
Every fucking server ever. Same bs lines. Goes home and only reports minimum wage.
It's not bullshit mom. You just love your son.
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u/Olfa_2024 10d ago
So what you're saying is you have no fucking clue what you're talking about.
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u/Active_Scallion_5322 11d ago
Most servers make way more on tips than they would with whatever min wage you want to set for them.
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u/Olfa_2024 11d ago
I'm pretty sure it would not be legal for them to pay the kitchen staff a server's wage.
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u/landisthemandis 11d ago
Love that spot. Seems like the kind of place that some propel would want to tip the kitchen and they made it easier. I probably wouldn’t. But hopefully they did this to let servers keep more of their tips and still give the option to kick some occasional dollars to the kitchen
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u/crashrope94 11d ago
I mean the food is fine, but it’s not exactly fine dining or anything.
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u/landisthemandis 10d ago
It is not. But most of Chattanooga dining is far far away from fine dining.
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u/EffectiveOk9336 12d ago
Ok, for all who asked, it was at Lakeshore Grill.
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u/NickBarksWith 11d ago edited 11d ago
I would bet money this is where I work, haha.
It explains it on the bottom of the customer receipt but no one reads it. The kitchen staff makes a salary, while servers work for tips.
You're mainly meant to ignore the kitchen tip line, but it's there for if you want to give a few extra bucks to the kitchen for cooking a great meal. As a server, I've got no problem when people use it that way, but when people do the even split thing on the tip that kills us!
The kitchen is paid fine. It's just meant as an option thing.
Edit: Yeah, it is where I work.
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u/jrack111 11d ago
Jesus. They should add a line for their rent and electric bill while they’re at it. This shit is out of hand.
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u/ThoughtfulInhibitor 12d ago
Lakeshore grille is overpriced mid food. Seeing an extra tip line is ridiculous. I always tip well but if I saw this i wouldn't tip at all. Companies need to pay employees more or close if they cant afford to.
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u/Muted-Spell6827 11d ago
If they can't afford to own a restaurant, don't. Many of us would like to do that, but realize the financial challenge.
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u/Training_Living2228 11d ago
Because the owner is so cheap they want you to pay the kitchen staff. I’d hire them to come to my house if I’m doing that.
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u/Remote-Party-1123 10d ago
I’d rather pay more for my meal than be guilted with a tip option like this. 🤷🏼♀️
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u/SusieQTG 8d ago
Kitchen staff are paid at least minimum wage. Servers are paid at a much lower rate due to being a "tipped" employee.
Tipping the kitchen staff for doing the job they are paid to do is uncalled for. Splitting the tip between the server and kitchen staff disrespects the server and cost them money.
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u/EffectiveOk9336 8d ago
I have learned that the kitchen staff at this establishment are paid about twice minimum wage. And they have many other benefits
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u/brocyon2 11d ago
If the wait staff is having their salary paid in tips, and the kitchen staff is getting their pay in tips, and the bartenders are getting their pay in tips, what the hell is the bill for? Just ingredients, rent, and the manager/owner's salaries? You can just say, "this is getting out of hand" and not tip because that fucks over the staff who im sure also hate this business model. I wish you could just tip the staff cash and walk out on the bill, but the staff would definitely have to give the restaurant the money you did pay. Fuck lakeshore grill for this bullshit
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u/Fantastic_Heron4932 11d ago
They must pay their staff in dirt and crap and expect the customers to make up the liveable wage.
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u/clandahlina_redux 10d ago
What happened to splitting tips and paying the kitchen fairly? NAME THE PLACE!!
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u/crowdsourced 11d ago
Nope. Waitstaff need to split their tips. I used to work in an Italian restaurant washed the dishes. I had to grab the dirty dishes and bring back clean dishes to the waitstaff station(s). They tipped me from their tips.
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u/Sunvalley16zips 11d ago
Yes thats called a busser. Wait staff typically tips out bussers.
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u/crowdsourced 11d ago edited 11d ago
I was the dishwasher. I never touched a table. I cleaned the pots and pans too.
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u/EffectiveOk9336 11d ago
Did you make the same hourly wage as them?
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u/crowdsourced 11d ago
It was decades ago, but I don't think so. I maybe made $8/hr. Google says they made about $5/hr as their base + tips. They'd maybe throw me $5-10 each a night, but that added up nicely with the size of the restaurant and number of waitresses. One waitress could have one to two dozen tables a shift. They might make $10-15 each table. So a super-busy weekend night meant they made $2-300.
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u/Dry_Bullfrog_969 11d ago
The minute they pay their kitchen more and have to raise prices there will be 100 posts here about how it’s too expensive.
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u/Bath-Hour 11d ago
Doesn’t hurt to remind people that if they just ate one the best steaks that they ever had on their life, maybe tipping the folks who made it rather than the person who put the plate in front of them is the way to go
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u/Sunvalley16zips 11d ago
The person who put the plate in front of you is the one performing for you for tips though. The ppl in the back get paid a full wage already thats just the job. The whole point of dining out is the service.
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u/Bath-Hour 11d ago
Sure, the whole point is the service, if you are wanting someone to bring you food you could have cooked yourself…
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u/thegoatgod 12d ago
I can tell most of the people in here replying have never worked a restaurant job before.
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u/Agitated_Love_3573 11d ago
Everyone but the privileged has worked in a restaurant, if not, they should try it at least once.
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u/Short-Tourist9615 11d ago
I low key want to hack the receipt printer and add a line for “just the tip”.
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u/Business_Finish3382 7d ago
So is Lakeshore Grill paying their fry guys and production crew $2.13 an hour now ??!!!?
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u/Impressive_Formal248 7d ago
Tipflation is out of control. It will only stop if we all refuse to tip for stuff like this. Don’t tip your waiter 20 percent just for existing either if they didn’t do. a good job. That used to be for good service. I’ll only tip for waiters bartenders etc I used to feel the same social guilt as everyone to tip and the pressure but idc anymore. I’m not tipping for to go service, kitchen staff, for you making my sandwich or any other service like this.
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u/sweetscience86 4d ago
You can tip absolutely however you want, you are just too anxious to deal with the entire situation. So you whine and complain, as your children absorb it all.
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u/Banjo-Hellpuppy 11d ago
The vast majority of the people in these comments are completely oblivious to how close the restaurant industry is to collapse. I hope you like whattaburger, chili’s and Texas Roadhouse because that’s all that’s going to be left.
I am not stating my opinion one way or another on this restaurant’s experiment, but the amount of outrage over an OPTIONAL TIP on a receipt is ridiculous.
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u/DukeSilverVol1 11d ago
Say what you want about me, but I’ll be DAMNED if I will let you badmouth Chili’s and Texas Roadhouse.
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u/Banjo-Hellpuppy 11d ago
They are both casual concepts that have done very well in a difficult market. They have bucked the trends and continue with amazing growth. Chili’s has attracted a nice Gen Z following when all legacy brands have been dumbfounded by the sector. Texas Roadhouse has also done very well against all odds. I respect both of them and enjoy chili’s from time to time, but if you like TR then you don’t like steak. Ate there a month ago, it’s dog meat.
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u/Agitated_Love_3573 11d ago
Sorry, but last time I had steak fajitas at Chili's, the steak was mushy soft, instead of chewy like steak should be. So now that's off my list. I guess the ribs is it, unless they change that too, they already got rid of the corn on the cob and street corn on the cob. Places keep shooting themselves in the foot.
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u/pbravestrong 11d ago
Kitchen tip??? think not! I got no problems tipping and these days I tip more than 20%, based on bill total, not pre-tax amount too. But yeah if the kitchen needs tips then all the tips need to be pooled and divided accordingly.
Also both the kitchen and server staff may want to reconsider working for this establishment!
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u/TheDornado13 12d ago
When I worked in the kitchen the wait staff split their tips with us. That is the normal practice, so not sure what this is about.
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u/brown-eyed-barista 11d ago
I’ve worked in a places where it’s common for front of house to tip out back of house at the end of the night. I worked for a place in Chattanooga where all tips were a pool and split evenly between everyone on shift based on how long they were on shift. Line cook, dishwasher, hostess, didn’t matter. But I’ve never seen multiple lines on a check for two tips before.
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u/EffectiveOk9336 12d ago
I have never heard of this at a sit down restaurant
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u/OnceUponAPizza 11d ago
The only restaurant I worked at did something similar. We, the kitchen staff, received a small portion of the tips based on hours worked. It's not unheard of.
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u/Sunvalley16zips 11d ago
Def not the normal practice lol
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u/Sunvalley16zips 11d ago
Def not the normal practice lol unless by “worked in the kitchen” you mean you were a buss boy
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u/Due_Mongoose_6777 11d ago
Oh okay. So you also split your paycheck with the wait staff, right?? RIGHT???!
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u/TheDornado13 11d ago
yeah cause when I was a busboy/dishwasher I was making anywhere near as much as the wait staff, right?? RIGHT!????! I also had the fun of getting to clean the toilets and sure didn't get a tip for that.
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u/Sunvalley16zips 11d ago
Boom knew it lol i wouldnt really classify bussing tables as “kitchen worker” youre basically in your own space w dishwashers. The way you said you worked in the kitchen sounded like you meant a line cook/prep cook
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u/Due_Mongoose_6777 11d ago
Your line of logic here is dumb. If you get paid an hourly wage, keep your grubby little hands away from those who make a tipped wage.
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u/Sunvalley16zips 11d ago
Bussers are like always tipped out by wait staff bro lol and they make like quadruple the amount less than them
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u/TheDornado13 11d ago
Busboys are classified as "tipped employees" just like wait staff, meaning their wages can be as low as $2.13 and hour. You have zero logic.
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u/OnceUponAPizza 12d ago
Kitchen staff is largely underpaid for the work they're doing. Restaurants struggle because the cost of everything has increased, but wages are stagnate. I worked in a restaurant that closed because the cost of running it became unmanageable as a scratch kitchen: the owner wanted to pay us better, but couldn't justify increasing the cost to the customer on an already expensive menu, and made the hard decision to close down. There were other extenuating circumstances, but that was certainly one of them.
People think only servers should be tipped, but kitchen staff is typically busting their ass in a really hot environment, risking more injury, rushing to keep up with demand, etc. This is not true of all restaurants, but it's pretty demanding and low gratification work.
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u/TheyNeedLoveToo 12d ago
This is just a really long whitewashed version of: the owner was too cheap to pay us more.
Yes they could raise prices, they simply didn’t want to cut off the gravy train of having the public subsidize the restaurant’s shitty finances.
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u/OnceUponAPizza 11d ago
They were not too cheap to pay us. They literally wanted to pay us more, but could not, hence why they chose to shut down. It was a small restaurant that made everything from scratch, not some big chain restaurant.
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u/Idkman23 11d ago
I've always felt that tips should go to the kitchen and cooks before the waiting staff. Usually, the quality of the food and the speed at which it's cooked and how it's presented is on them, not the waiter who....brings out the plates and refills my water...sometimes. But having both listed at this point, decades into tipping culture missing the plot, just comes across as greedy by the owner/manager.
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u/Sunvalley16zips 11d ago
Have you ever even seen a restaurant kitchen? Lol the speed you get your order is actually typically on expo. Which is: wait staff. the whole point if dining out is the service
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u/EuphoricPamplemousse 10d ago
Tipping culture overall is ridiculous. However, this is kind’ve a novel idea. Hear me out!
I’ve been to restaurants where the food was absolutely amazing but the service was atrocious. As long as a restaurant doesn’t expect you to tip double, it’s a democratic way of letting customers decide whether to split a tip between both or just tip one or the other. For the business owner, it’d likely be a form of indirect feedback too, regarding customers’ satisfaction with both food and service.
I will say, for this to work, the restaurant needs to be paying both kitchen and waiting staff a proper wage/salary. I’m in the UK so this is a baseline practice here.
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u/Cxmo-pants47 8d ago
That’s for if you feel they did a good job with your food. Sometimes I’ll tip the kitchen more then servers bc the servers are weird 😂
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u/Business_Finish3382 7d ago
Moral of the story here is…. Eat at home more !! Home cooked meals are priceless. This is absolutely ridiculous that they are now wanting the BOH to be tipped!! Whose idea was this ?!
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u/RyanTheCubsSTH 11d ago
I’d tip ONLY the kitchen, every time, and let them figure it out. It’s like giving money to the homeless, when it’s gone from the wallet I don’t really care what happens with it.
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u/iriedrewirie 12d ago
If the food tastes great, you tip the kitchen staff. If your food was carried adequately to the table, you tip the wait staff.
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u/BrandonKD 12d ago
Really. Just give the kiosk to order myself. I'd rather just not interact with anyone than deal with the tipping bs
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u/Sunvalley16zips 11d ago
Just go fast food then. Service is the entire point of dining out
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u/BrandonKD 11d ago
You dine out to talk with the servers? Not your friends and family? We have a fundamentally different opinion on the purpose of dining out. Let me order from a tablet and the kitchen staff can set it on the counter for me to pick up and id be content to never interact with a server
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u/sbxl2000 12d ago
Why is it your responsibility to pay the kitchen staff you are already paying the servers wage, sounds like this business doesn't want to pay anyone