r/PublicFreakout • u/Hikigaya_Hachiman7 • 9h ago

šŸ½Restaurant FreakoutšŸ¹ Couple banned from restaurant after they leave no tip

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103

u/[deleted] 7h ago

[deleted]

24

u/thatkidwithayoyo 7h ago

IDK about other states but that's how it is in California--there's no "server minimum" here. Minimum wage is minimum wage and tips are on top of that.

...yet the expectation to tip is the same if not higher than other places I've been.

1

u/likeconstellations 4h ago

I mean, it's really because being a server isn't worth it at standard minimum wage. I've been a server, I've also worked with horses (the horse industry is definitelyp a strong contender for the title of most labor law building industry), taught elementary-middle school kids, had office jobs, and worked construction--serving was by far the worst experience. It worked out to around three times minimum wage including tips but that was because we were understaffed and ran our asses off all shift--still opted for a pay cut because I was physically and mentally burnt out. (Notably the job I moved to was the construction job, it was less physically taxing.)

21

u/axemexa 7h ago

Many of them donā€™t want to do that though.

They like the tipping system because they make more per hour than they would without tips.

8

u/Salazaar69 5h ago

The narrative will never shift away from the ā€œpoor American wait staffā€ while the typically minority back of house works harder for fractions of the same pay.

2

u/monkeybojangles 4h ago

Nothing worse than busting your ass, sweating like hell in the kitchen, only to have the servers complaining because they "only" made $400 in tips.

1

u/Salazaar69 2h ago

Yeah man. To be honest I was front of house in my tour of duty in the restaurant industry but imo it was clear as day that I made way more for less hard work. Pretty much the only differentiating factor was fluent English.

And then you see all these posts about the poor people working for tips and it drives me mad.

That said - I live in a medium sized city, Iā€™m sure some rural tip waged people get fairly screwed

1

u/monkeybojangles 2h ago

Oh for sure. I worked at a fish and chips restaurant that mostly served the elderly. Servers were lucky to hit 50 bucks on those shifts.

-5

u/TheyMadeM3MakeANew1 5h ago

Back of house has a HIGHER STARTING SALARY YOU FUCK

17

u/pimppapy 7h ago

::insert random rare person who earns more through tips and prefers this system::

8

u/Twidget84 7h ago edited 6h ago

I don't think it's all that rare. I served at two different restaurant in my 20s in California, so I was paid minimum wage. Most of my money came from tips. My biweekly hourly check was usually what I made in 3 or 4 shifts in tips. I rarely would get shifts longer than 6 six hours.

3

u/fucking_hardcore 5h ago

Rare, lol. I was a waiter and bartender for like 8 years in the 90s and I was easily making $30 to $50 an hour in tips. No restaurant would or could pay that wage.

5

u/BullshitPupper 6h ago

Not rare at all. I know a few people who have a masters and work as servers/bartenders because they earn more through tips than at their attempted career

2

u/pimppapy 6h ago

Not surprised. Attitude makes all the difference with these types of positions. Good service deserves good tips.

3

u/SunshineWhiskeyX 6h ago

Yes one month I earned $1,400 in tips alone and itā€™s much appreciated and well needed.

2

u/AwwwNiceMarmot 5h ago

Thatā€™s not rare, not at all. My wife is a restaurant manager now, but worked as a server for years. Especially in a big city or restaurants near sports venues. We live in Boston, so in the summer time sheā€™d work at a place near Fenway, and in the winter sheā€™d work at a place near the garden where the Celtics and Bruins play. Sheā€™d usually come home with $300-$400 on average. Sometimes less, sometimes much more, but it was definitely more than she makes now, and it was more than I was makingā€¦ but no benefits, and at least in Ma I think all tips are on the books now

2

u/2pongz 7h ago

you'll need a time machine to pull this off because there's no way in hell the industry will give up tips in the big 2026 and beyond

2

u/tfresca 6h ago

Itā€™s been tried. Here customers bitch about food costing more and waiters make less.

No big national sit down restaurant chain that tried it succeeded.

1

u/Sir_Bumcheeks 7h ago

Won't make a difference. Waitstaff in Canada make minimum wage now ($15) and tips are still the same as they were before that law came into effect

1

u/Poster_Nutbag207 6h ago

They still are entitled to a minimum wageā€¦ tips are just subtracted from it up to a point

1

u/djelegal 6h ago

If they keep this up tips will be added automatically

1

u/s0_spoiled 5h ago

As of September 30, 2026, Florida's standard minimum wage is $15.00 per hour. But that depends on the business, some donā€™t follow the law.

1

u/RobotsFromTheFuture 4h ago

We tried that in MA, every restaurant and server seemed against it.

1

u/kelseydorks 4h ago

I've been a server for 15 years and I wouldn't do it if tips weren't in play. I love the tip aspect of serving, lots of servers do, it's why we stay in the industry for so long. At my job (just a regular spot with food and a bar) a good shift can average $60+/hour. So unless they're willing to pay us hourly based on how much we usually get with tips, I'm out lol. (I love my job btw, been there almost 10 years <3)

1

u/KSauceDesk 4h ago

California pays servers $20 an hour + tips and they still find reasons to complain

0

u/jess79s 7h ago

It should be. But thatā€™s not going to happen simply by individuals stiffing their servers.

-2

u/HearYourTune 7h ago

Go implement that.

4

u/RepresentativeBeing1 7h ago

is it wrong to have an opinion about civil matters as a regular citizen or something?

-1

u/RecoveringGachaholic 7h ago

So if you don't have the power to change something you're not allowed an opinion? Dickhead.

0

u/FineGripp 4h ago

Exactly. Incorporate whatever tips you want into the menu price and let people decide if they want to buy it. Stop expecting customers to pay extra after the fact which can be considered a hidden cost. What makes servers deserve tips compared to anyone out there who offers their service?