Suu's typical rant on how you should properly tip your waitstaff.

[Suu]

Sorry about that. The rage took over for a second.

I love you. Marry me?

[Suu]

You're an asshole.

And attacking my character for not liking the way I phrased a purely innocent response is a dick move.

Yes, yes it is.  But the "character" you were displaying was an easy target.

If he doesn't know, he doesn't know...better him learn it from us than from someone else.

[LMNO]

Hold on a second...

Servers get below the standard minimum wage because of tips.  Don't ask me how the restaraunt lobby was able to get away with this, I didn't do it.

As far as I know, people who work at coffee shops, ice cream stores, etc do get standard minimum wage, at least.

The main argument for tipping well at bars and restaraunts is because those people are getting something like $2.00 an hour, instead of the $7.00 or so which is standard.  Those servers are desperately counting on tips just to bring their wages up to the national average.

Now, I'm not arguing that the minimum wage is high enough for someone to support themselves, nor am I arguing that it's not a good idea to tip the barrista.

What I'm saying is that there is a big difference between not leaving a good tip for your waiter, and not tossing a dollar into the tip jar at Starbucks.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Sorry about that. The rage took over for a second.

I love you. Marry me?

Yes, my darling!

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Hold on a second...

Servers get below the standard minimum wage because of tips.  Don't ask me how the restaraunt lobby was able to get away with this, I didn't do it.

As far as I know, people who work at coffee shops, ice cream stores, etc do get standard minimum wage, at least.

The main argument for tipping well at bars and restaraunts is because those people are getting something like $2.00 an hour, instead of the $7.00 or so which is standard.  Those servers are desperately counting on tips just to bring their wages up to the national average.

Now, I'm not arguing that the minimum wage is high enough for someone to support themselves, nor am I arguing that it's not a good idea to tip the barrista.

What I'm saying is that there is a big difference between not leaving a good tip for your waiter, and not tossing a dollar into the tip jar at Starbucks.

Bah. We don't have server's wage in Oregon, nor in many other states, rendering your argument completely irrelevant.

Tipping is a social skill. If you earn enough to go out and be served, you should tip. It doesn't make you an asshole if you don't always tip your barista, but dropping your change in the tip jar is the socially gracious thing to do.

[AFK]

Or, go to Tim Hortons and put your spare change in the donation box for needy kids.  That's what I do. 

[LMNO]

Bah. We don't have server's wage in Oregon, nor in many other states, rendering your argument completely irrelevant.

Wait, what?

http://www.raiseminwage.org/id38.html

In 1966, Congress approved the first minimum cash payment for tipped employees, a payment set at half the minimum wage (which was being raised from $1.25 to $1.60).  Unions supported the tip wage because restaurant and bar owners had been counting all tips towards the minimum wage, with no legal obligation to pay a food server or bartender any cash minimum.  The federal tip minimum varied from 40% to 50% of the minimum wage until 1996, when Congress froze it at half of the then-current minimum wage of $4.25 and added the requirement that if an employee's average tips did not bring the total wage up to the minimum, the employer would make up the difference.  The federal tip minimum has remained at $2.13 ever since, even though the federal minimum wage itself has reached $7.25.

Five states--Louisiana, Tennessee, South Carolina, Alabama, and Mississippi--don't set state minimum wages at all for anyone, so the federal tip wage prevails for tipped employees.

In seven states and Guam, the employer cannot credit any portion of the employee's average tip amount against the cash wage that must be paid, so the employee earns the full minimum age plus tips.  The states are Oregon (which passed its law in 1977), California, Alaska, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, and Washington.

7 out of 50 isn't "many".

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Bah. We don't have server's wage in Oregon, nor in many other states, rendering your argument completely irrelevant.

Wait, what?

http://www.raiseminwage.org/id38.html

In 1966, Congress approved the first minimum cash payment for tipped employees, a payment set at half the minimum wage (which was being raised from $1.25 to $1.60).  Unions supported the tip wage because restaurant and bar owners had been counting all tips towards the minimum wage, with no legal obligation to pay a food server or bartender any cash minimum.  The federal tip minimum varied from 40% to 50% of the minimum wage until 1996, when Congress froze it at half of the then-current minimum wage of $4.25 and added the requirement that if an employee's average tips did not bring the total wage up to the minimum, the employer would make up the difference.  The federal tip minimum has remained at $2.13 ever since, even though the federal minimum wage itself has reached $7.25.

Five states--Louisiana, Tennessee, South Carolina, Alabama, and Mississippi--don't set state minimum wages at all for anyone, so the federal tip wage prevails for tipped employees.

In seven states and Guam, the employer cannot credit any portion of the employee's average tip amount against the cash wage that must be paid, so the employee earns the full minimum age plus tips.  The states are Oregon (which passed its law in 1977), California, Alaska, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, and Washington.

7 out of 50 isn't "many".

Semantics games? I expect better of you. Seven is more than a few, in my mind. I knew it was more than four, and "many" was easier than looking it up. Regardless, your argument is irrelevant. Because you are making this argument to someone who lives in a state without server's minimum. Furthermore, the quote you just posted ALSO renders your argument invalid because baristas count as tipped employees.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Or, go to Tim Hortons and put your spare change in the donation box for needy kids.  That's what I do. 

I donate to cancer research every time I buy groceries... therefore I should stop tipping in restaurants? Hey Suu, that makes sense, doesn't it? 

[AFK]

Or, go to Tim Hortons and put your spare change in the donation box for needy kids.  That's what I do. 

I donate to cancer research every time I buy groceries... therefore I should stop tipping in restaurants? Hey Suu, that makes sense, doesn't it? 

Where did I say anything about not tipping at restaurants?  My comparison is between Tim Hortons and Starbucks.  Not Tim Hortons and Chilis. 

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Or, go to Tim Hortons and put your spare change in the donation box for needy kids.  That's what I do. 

I donate to cancer research every time I buy groceries... therefore I should stop tipping in restaurants? Hey Suu, that makes sense, doesn't it? 

Where did I say anything about not tipping at restaurants?  My comparison is between Tim Hortons and Starbucks.  Not Tim Hortons and Chilis. 

It's a Canadian thing.  Tim Horton's employees aren't paid in cash, they're paid in frozen human embryos, which they eat like Italian Ice.

[AFK]

Or, go to Tim Hortons and put your spare change in the donation box for needy kids.  That's what I do. 

I donate to cancer research every time I buy groceries... therefore I should stop tipping in restaurants? Hey Suu, that makes sense, doesn't it? 

Where did I say anything about not tipping at restaurants?  My comparison is between Tim Hortons and Starbucks.  Not Tim Hortons and Chilis. 

It's a Canadian thing.  Tim Horton's employees aren't paid in cash, they're paid in frozen human embryos, which they eat like Italian Ice.

Is that why they are always so damn chipper?  Meanwhile go into a Dunkin Donuts and they all act like someone just ran over their cat. 

[LMNO]

Semantics games? I expect better of you. Seven is more than a few, in my mind. I knew it was more than four, and "many" was easier than looking it up. Regardless, your argument is irrelevant. Because you are making this argument to someone who lives in a state without server's minimum. Furthermore, the quote you just posted ALSO renders your argument invalid because baristas count as tipped employees.

So, one reason my argument is invalid is because it doesn't apply to 14% of the nation, including the state Suu works in (who, incidentally, started this thread)?  And you call this "semantics"?  Odd, that.

Also, where does it mention barristas are tipped employees?  Glassdoor.com indicates starbucks pays the federal minimum wage, ~$8.00/hr

[Suu]

Or, go to Tim Hortons and put your spare change in the donation box for needy kids.  That's what I do.  

I donate to cancer research every time I buy groceries... therefore I should stop tipping in restaurants? Hey Suu, that makes sense, doesn't it?  

I don't think that's the point he's making. I think he's saying instead of giving your tip to the folks behind the counter at Timmy Hoho's (that's what we call it round these parts), you just put it in the Jimmy Fund box instead. But since the Jimmy Fund has such a profound impact on most of New England as the top charity, it's just the norm. Some places like that around here don't even have a tip jar, just the Jimmy Fund box. I'm sure that RWHN still tips his servers.

I'm guilty, I don't always tip the counter folk at Dunkin, mostly because I KNOW that Dunkin starts their employees at 9 and change with fantastic benefits. However, if I do get exceptional service then yeah, they're getting a buck (I won't tip less than that because it makes me feel like shit). Once I became a regular at one store, the ladies knew me, saw me, and had my coffee ready and waiting by the time I got to the counter. In my opinion that goes above and beyond for anyone working at Dunkin Donuts, and they knew I'd toss them a buck too, which was a form of insurance that I would get first class service every time.

I can't say that I've always gotten great service at Starbucks as rarely as I go there, but for $4+ for a cup of whatever I'm getting, I better get good service. They also are known for paying their baristas exceptionally well.

The servers and bartenders in actual sit-down dining establishments here are who get the short end of the stick, and for a state that is known internationally for some of the best restaurants, you'd think they'd take a bit more pride in how they treat their food service workers, but that's RI for ya, if they aren't getting a kick-back in some shape or form, no one will bother fixing the problem.

[AFK]

Or, go to Tim Hortons and put your spare change in the donation box for needy kids.  That's what I do.  

I donate to cancer research every time I buy groceries... therefore I should stop tipping in restaurants? Hey Suu, that makes sense, doesn't it?  

I don't think that's the point he's making. I think he's saying instead of giving your tip to the folks behind the counter at Timmy Hoho's (that's what we call it round these parts), you just put it in the Jimmy Fund box instead. But since the Jimmy Fund has such a profound impact on most of New England as the top charity, it's just the norm. Some places like that around here don't even have a tip jar, just the Jimmy Fund box. I'm sure that RWHN still tips his servers.

I'm guilty, I don't always tip the counter folk at Dunkin, mostly because I KNOW that Dunkin starts their employees at 9 and change with fantastic benefits. However, if I do get exceptional service then yeah, they're getting a buck (I won't tip less than that because it makes me feel like shit). Once I became a regular at one store, the ladies knew me, saw me, and had my coffee ready and waiting by the time I got to the counter. In my opinion that goes above and beyond for anyone working at Dunkin Donuts, and they knew I'd toss them a buck too, which was a form of insurance that I would get first class service every time.

I can't say that I've always gotten great service at Starbucks as rarely as I go there, but for $4+ for a cup of whatever I'm getting, I better get good service. They also are known for paying their baristas exceptionally well.

The servers and bartenders in actual sit-down dining establishments here are who get the short end of the stick, and for a state that is known internationally for some of the best restaurants, you'd think they'd take a bit more pride in how they treat their food service workers, but that's RI for ya, if they aren't getting a kick-back in some shape or form, no one will bother fixing the problem.

I take goo care of my servers.  Hey, the whole reason we go out is so we don't have to cook and do the dishes.  So yeah, I make sure they get the scratch they've earned.  Butthe coffee shop thing is different.  As Suu points out they're starting off with minimum wage, and a place like Starbucks has traditionally treated their employees pretty well.  I'd much rather throw a buck to a charity in that scenario.