The Main Ingredient
Tipping
is more prevalent in food service operation than in any other service
industry where employee depends on tips to supplement their wages. And,
it still is a function of the customer discretion than any suggested
amount on a bill, poster or cultural practiced. How much to tip is
further divided by the segments of the industry you choose to dine. From
the neighborhood deli, Fast food, to the cities casual and fine dining
establishments to theme family concepts in the suburbs to the sea and
sand locations to private clubs with golf, spa and tennis amenities is
discretionary base on your own experience and occasion you choose todine
out or use the amenities provided. Even special occasions catered
events like weddings where gratuity is included in the price to the
host, guest attending these events still tip the service workers based
on their experience and engagement with the service staff from the
parking valet to the bathroom attendant. No amount of persuasion by
whatever means can make a customer tip a service worker if he or she had
a poor experience.
Yes,
indeed tipping expectation has changed. Now tip jars can be found near
every point of sale terminal from the smallest neighborhood joint that
offer 'to go" food service to the big wine bucket at your favorite bar.
Everyone expect it. What is not said or we know is a fact service
workers are not paid fairly and they depend on tips to supplement their
wages. They often find creative ways to make up the difference with
their employer. The operating cost of a food service establishment is
creeping up to keep abreast of the changing customer behavior and food
trends so it is little surprise to find operators taking every
opportunity to add mandatory gratuity to the bill from 15% to 25% on
average, based on the size of the party so living and fair wages can be
obtained for employees through a tip pool.
Choosing
among tip pooling, tip credit, mandatory gratuity added to the bill ,
increasing hourly rate of pay or how tips are distributed we have reach a
tipping point to balance the disparity in wages earned between front of
the house staff and back of the house. No one wants to be the first in
taking a stand on the side of employees by raising menu prices to pay
better wages for fear of losing customers or keeping the status quo and
losing employees. The question to be answered by operators is who is
more important the customers or employees?.
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