actlikeyouwereraisedright
Rookie Expediter
Forget I bothered
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Last edited:
Truck Stop Restaurants
- Thread starter actlikeyouwereraisedright
- Start date
As someone who managed restaurants for 16 years, I'll reserve my comments for later.
Ya should comment now. I sense a drive-by.
I sense a sub-par waitress who complains about the base wage when a good waitress couldn't care less what her hourly wage is, and complains about the occasional low tipper or stiff that ain't all that occasional in her case.
Ya, that too!
paullud
Veteran Expediter
I am fully aware that waiters/waitresses make less than minimum wage because tips are supposed to count to make up the rest. Have you gone to your employer and stated the obvious, that their ridiculous mark up on food is causing people to tip less? Have you considered it might be you? Your post seems pretty arrogant and has a certain entitlement attitude. Do you realize that drivers face much more than wanting to be home or being tired? How about the fact that your industry decided to double the "required" tipping percentage and now feel entitled to 20% for adequate service? If you want to compare your daily work problems to those of a driver to try and equal yourself you are going to lose. With all that being said my wife was out on the road with me so for a bill for 2 people we always tipped a minimum of 25% but usually closer to 33-35%. I know that isn't the norm but if you look outside at other restaurants you will find the same, good tippers and bad tippers.
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actlikeyouwereraisedright
Rookie Expediter
I actually have some great tippers. And generally do quite well. It's the occasional bad ones that just bothered me. I apologize for trying to appeal to your humanity. How much really would it hurt anyone to tip 2 bucks on a 10 dollar meal? I am great at what I do and again I apologize..The majority of guys tip fine...it's the ones who just walk out. I'm sub par at nothing.
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actlikeyouwereraisedright
Rookie Expediter
Doesn't bother me except when I can't provide what my kids need. No biggie...I work 2 jobs to make ends meet
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I have a very simple request too: can you please share a website that is frequented by waitstaff/servers, so that a truckdriver may share some of our disappointment with your peers?
Most of us here have more class than to actually do it, but there's one in every crowd....
paullud
Veteran Expediter
The following is not an attack but it is brutal honesty. Have you considered the fact that you are doing a job that requires little to no skill? Basically you take orders and then transport food from the kitchen to a table. Do you really think that should pay enough to support a family? You have little to no responsibility, it requires no education, and it's a job that almost anyone can do. You chose a job that put you in a position where bad tipping is certainly a possibility or maybe they just weren't happy with your service because you got busy or went on break so they tipped what you were worth. You can't possibly expect every single person to tip 20%, especially in a truck stop restaurant. If you want more money then earn a better job or at least one that doesn't rely on tipping as part of your income.
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Being formerly in restaurants, like most former restaurant people, I tend to over tip. Usually 25-35% of the post-tax bill. But for buffets, especially fast food buffets like any truck stop buffet, most chain buffets, tipping isn't necessary, required nor expected. For casino-style buffets where a server takes your drink order and then checks in on you at least twice, brings drink refills, etc., then $1-$2 a head is more appropriate. Tipping was instituted to be a form of commission for full service employees. It enables businesses in the service industry to keep costs low by passing on the service part of the cost to the customer. There is little reason to tip someone in a situation that doesn't offer full service, unless they do something specific that warrants it.
paullud
Veteran Expediter
I never worked in a restaurant but I over tip because of some of my political beliefs. I feel I can do a much better job of getting my money in the hands of the working poor than the government can. I was able to help by leaving $20 when I was at a restaurant and some @$!# next to me left about .50-.75 for a tip for a waitress that did an incredible job. Then there is the time approaching Christmas when all my tips go up and when I find someone that is friendly/hard working I leave $100.
I respect the job that the servers do, not because it is hard or complicated but simply because it is not a job that I would want to do. I would not do the job unless I had to so to me it is something that I put a certain value on and tip more than normal. The value I place on the job though has nothing to do with the real market value of the job.
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actlikeyouwereraisedright
Rookie Expediter
Re: Forget I bothered
Not that it matters but I do not work in a buffet restaurant. I refill drinks, bring food, check on my customers regularly. I give to go cups of beverages as a courtesy, refill thermos of coffee for free because I know it's needed out there on the road. I was just making an observation and asking why it seems normal for a lot of people, even travelers, to be so tight when it comes to tipping at a truck stop. And you are right, I should have picked a higher skilled job, but bad choices and life intervened and I chose to work my butt
Off to support my family instead of sitting on it and collecting welfare. I work doubles when I can and when corporate allows. My Job may be unskilled to some, but it is extremely hard work. I chose this I know, but I had kids to take care of after a divorce, no child support, and was raised to not try and raid the government. I really do appreciate every tip I get...it allows me to stop at the grocery store and buy food everyday.
Not that it matters but I do not work in a buffet restaurant. I refill drinks, bring food, check on my customers regularly. I give to go cups of beverages as a courtesy, refill thermos of coffee for free because I know it's needed out there on the road. I was just making an observation and asking why it seems normal for a lot of people, even travelers, to be so tight when it comes to tipping at a truck stop. And you are right, I should have picked a higher skilled job, but bad choices and life intervened and I chose to work my butt
Off to support my family instead of sitting on it and collecting welfare. I work doubles when I can and when corporate allows. My Job may be unskilled to some, but it is extremely hard work. I chose this I know, but I had kids to take care of after a divorce, no child support, and was raised to not try and raid the government. I really do appreciate every tip I get...it allows me to stop at the grocery store and buy food everyday.
Re: Forget I bothered
People aren't any tighter at tipping at trucks stops than they are anywhere else. Even high end fine dining has its share of tight tippers. The key is to get some place with a high customer turnover, or a higher average check (like casual dining places such as Applebees, Chilis, even Cracker Barrel you can make a killing as a server). Then you won't be living and dying on an individual check, and tight tippers and stiffs won't bother you (as much).
People aren't any tighter at tipping at trucks stops than they are anywhere else. Even high end fine dining has its share of tight tippers. The key is to get some place with a high customer turnover, or a higher average check (like casual dining places such as Applebees, Chilis, even Cracker Barrel you can make a killing as a server). Then you won't be living and dying on an individual check, and tight tippers and stiffs won't bother you (as much).
Re: Forget I bothered
My son has been a server his entire adult life and he loves it. He recently moved up to what some would consider, "fine dining", although I did not consider it that, other than the prices, and he does fine. He is now planning on moving into management.
He says the way to earn money is in the "attitude" of the server. He claims that is as important as the service itself.
I tip on the service and the attitude. I have tipped as low as $.01 and as high as 50%, depending on the service etc.
I don't have the experience that Turtle does but my son says that he lives and dies by repeat customers and has customers that have followed him as he has changed places he worked.
My son has been a server his entire adult life and he loves it. He recently moved up to what some would consider, "fine dining", although I did not consider it that, other than the prices, and he does fine. He is now planning on moving into management.
He says the way to earn money is in the "attitude" of the server. He claims that is as important as the service itself.
I tip on the service and the attitude. I have tipped as low as $.01 and as high as 50%, depending on the service etc.
I don't have the experience that Turtle does but my son says that he lives and dies by repeat customers and has customers that have followed him as he has changed places he worked.
WanderngFool
Active Expediter
Re: Forget I bothered
Serving food for tips is hard work. I'm a $2 guy. My usual restaurant meal is breakfast and ranges from $8 up to maybe $12. I'm happy to leave $2, occasionally more. Waitresses work hard and I usually assume they've got kids they're trying to feed.
Serving food for tips is hard work. I'm a $2 guy. My usual restaurant meal is breakfast and ranges from $8 up to maybe $12. I'm happy to leave $2, occasionally more. Waitresses work hard and I usually assume they've got kids they're trying to feed.