This Is Not A Check : Why You Tip Waiters in the First Place

This post is #2 in a series on the rationale behind tipping waiters and waitresses when dining out. Please read Part 1 before continuing, in order to be up to speed. Thanks - love ya!

My most recent pay stub for the last 2 weeks from my restaurant - $0

Previously on Guy's Work Blog I inadvertently opened the can of worms relating to when you or I go out to eat, that sometimes (usually when dining in larger groups) the tip, or Auto-Gratuity, is added to our bills in a way that implies paying that amount is more or less mandatory. Some friends volleyed right over to how they resent or oppose this "when service sucks" - a sentiment that I don't begrudge them for expressing, nor disagree with either.

So I decided to tackle the topic head-on, no holes barred, and start a series on the why practice of tipping exists in the first place, and especially, on why diners get billed with that Auto-Grat thingy sometimes. My sincere thanks to those of you who did NOT select this day to unsubscribe from my blog, and who trust me enough to tactfully and knowledgeably navigate you through the misunderstandings and all the issues inherent in this touchy subject.

Like the menu at a place you've never eaten, I'm just here to guide you though a world you're likely unfamiliar with and - just as if I were waiting on you in person - if you'll trust my expertise you're gonna have a great time. (And if you want to tip me, great, this'll all be available as a book soon enough!)

Last year, when sharing with you a time that I got stiffed by some customers, why it happened, and the details on why I had to pay $11 out of my own pocket because of this, I ended the post by mentioning to you that my last three paychecks (then) had all been "goose-eggs" also.

Picking up that dangling plot thread for ya finally, above you'll see that my most current paycheck (and the last several before this one actually) have likewise been $0.

"How in the world can that be?" you may be wondering...

"How can a waiter or waitress work full-time for two weeks in a nice restaurant, and not even receive a paycheck from their employer???" If you are wondering this (and thanks for giving a damn) then you're not alone.

It's not that the restaurants don't pay us though, it's just that the reality of the matter comes down to the fact that - by and large - the only true money that goes into our pockets, our bank accounts, or our families' mouths, is what comes from you.

To be continued ... Subscribe, or not, and then maybe read (or re-read) some of the links to old posts I've included in today's entry, to really get the back-story down before we move on to the end-game.

Later tonight I'll send out the breakdown of why my paycheck is what it is. Then I'll get to the well-intentioned but ultimately mis-guided common thought you may have that goes "Well I think the restaurant should just pay you more" ... and then to where the auto-grat comes in, and why.

And eventually back to Petunia.