Nickname: arat

Review: Wow! When I go out to eat, I expect that I will be tipping a $5 minimum, no matter what the service is like. Then again, I also tip pizza delivery drivers like that. Maybe it is because I have been both a server, a pizza delivery driver, a runner, busser, dishwasher, prep & line cook, hostess, asst mamager and now a general manager. The whole restaurants business relies on balancing out costs. If I had to pay the staff a higher hourly wage, we wouldn't be open and we would all be out of jobs. A server doesn't just bring you your food. They make or break your experience. If they don't deliver, talk to management. Not only do we need to hear it, we can do something about it. We can also make sure you don't pay for bad food or bad service and we will do things to insure you will be back. As hard as I try, I cannot MAKE servers do anything they don't choose to do, but I can replace them if I know what they are doing!

Date reviewed: Jan 17, 2009 8:00 PM

Nickname: A smart server

Review: I wish everyone would educate themselves about tipping. This is one of the only win win win situations our goverment has ever created. The public pays less for the food and less in sales taxes. The operator can afford to pay comparable wages and stay in business. The servers get their wages made up in the way of gratuities. As a server going to school, I was bringing in over $30,000 a year. As an operator now, I could not be able to stay in business without this wage and tax break. Let's not forget that we make up a huge part of the retail business. A tip should be 15% regardless of service with increases due on your discretion. If you get bad service, contact a manager or don't go back. By not tipping you undermine the whole system. By factoring the labor in on the cost of your food, it could increase your dinner price by 25% to 30%. Think about that next time you go out. The system works well, let's educate ourselves on it.

Date reviewed: Feb 10, 2007 1:09 PM

Nickname: slighty miffed

Review: Regarding the comments about tipping... In America servers are paid $2.13 an hour, which usually doesn't even cover the taxes everyone is required to pay. In addition, they are required to pay a percentage of their sales to the bussers, the bar staff and sometimes the hosts. Servers are also required to pay the credit card companies a portion of their money every time they record a tip that was paid on a credit card. Once that is all taken into effect, tipping is the only way that a server can make a living. And to respond to the person who stated that servers should get a different job that pays better... The majority of servers in American restaurants are students trying to get an education and support themselves. If you know of another industry where a person can attend class during the day and still work at night and make a decent wage, please enlighten us.

Date reviewed: Nov 14, 2006 9:37 PM

Nickname: jers

Review: I bought a coffee shop last December and changed everything about the existing shop. I've put everything into it. A day hasn't gone by where I've regretted it. I treat every customer with respect and try to gain regulars everyday. I grew up in a small town and went to college three states away. I'm 23 years old. I try to make my shop like some of the mom and pop restaurants I grew up with. I think that people appreciate that!

Date reviewed: Sep 7, 2006 8:59 PM

Nickname: tipping is for cows

Review: There have been many times my co workers & I wanted to eat out for lunch, but some didn't due to the prices. Then you have to add in tips. We know the chain restaurants don't really provide good service. Sometimes they are lucky enough to provide servers who can remember who at your table orded chicken. Why don't restaurants start paying their servers more than the standard? They know they are being paid to provide friendly accurate and timely service. Maybe more customers will dine if the expectation of tipping is taken away. (There are many times I have felt ashamed for tipping a server who gave cruddy service, but knew if I didn't tip generously that the next experience and food would be much much worse). To the servers who want to whine about tips, I suggest finding another job that pays higher by the hour, or banding together working with your company to have your wages raised. Tipping is based upon the quality of service you provide, it is a bonus, not required.

Date reviewed: Aug 26, 2006 5:11 PM

Nickname: Kingpin

Review: I started a small business 4 years ago. I purchased a large bar-b-que smoker for weddings, catering & festivals. I quit my job delivering Budweiser for a living and I opened my 1st restaurant Feb. 9 '06 I am working on opening my 2nd bar-b-que joint by Oct 1st. I am telling you it's been hard; you have to fax your menus to other businesses like factories and all businesses for lunch specials. Don't give away shirts and hats, give away your product, your food to get business flowing for catering for company picnic and parties. Don't wait for them to come to you, take it to them. If you don't, you will go broke sitting around. Put ads in newspapers. Talk to your customers and get to know them. Cook your food the same way each time. Change your menu by having specials on Friday & Saturday nights. It has been really slow for the last 3 months. I start my fall festivals 18&19 Aug. till Oct 15th 2006. Business will pickup, it will be colder. It's tough but I am open for business.

Date reviewed: Aug 15, 2006 3:14 AM

Nickname: donnie

Review: i find this all very boring..zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....

Date reviewed: Aug 15, 2006 12:00 AM

Nickname: Thinking Right

Review: Hey No Tip just to let you know you're half wrong. You don't leave a tip in other countries because the pay for waitstaff there is higher. Waitstaff here get about $2.00/hr plus tips. In Ireland they get about $10.00/hr and higher. Working in other countries is a lot different. Please talk to some waitstaff from there before saying you shouldn't tip. Here we work for the tips not the hour pay. Tip on the bill before discounts & coupons (we served you all the meal not just the undiscounted part). You're still saving money and making your waitstaff enjoy their job better.

Date reviewed: Aug 12, 2006 2:06 PM

Nickname: Mother Goose

Review: I love going to locally owned restaurants and stores. However, I have found that most corporate places are locally-owned, for example, our local KFC/A&W Root Beer estabilishment is owned by a delightful man. He has learned to hire great employees, my order is always perfect, and his employees seem to enjoy working there. Other KFCs in the area are poorly-run, and the food and service reflect it. So, I go there instead of the local chicken place, which scored a 75 from the Department of Health (and in this area, that would be like a "D" anywhere else). Our local Publix, Kroger, Ingles, and Target stores give back to our community as well. But I still go to our local bakery for goodies, because they are willing to make peanut-free treats for me to send to school, and their food is incredible. Polite, attentive service is not dead--at least not in north Georgia.

Date reviewed: Aug 11, 2006 2:16 PM

Nickname: No tips

Review: Tipping is not a usual custom in many countries in the world. Price of the meal, sales tax, plus tips really drive up the cost of eating.

Date reviewed: Aug 6, 2006 3:10 AM