$11.00 now, goes up to $11.50 in January. Except for those under 16, who can be paid as little as 85% of the grownup rate. So yes and no, I guess, but mostly yes.
$9.30, according to the web site I just looked at. Up 99¢ from a year ago, and to be increased 90¢ each January 1 until it reaches $12 in 2020; then to be adjusted annually for cost-of-living increases.
Very mixed feelings. I really dislike the whole tipping system and wish we were like Europe (as I understand it is there) in that regard.
I don't know how to just get over it and switch, though. (It's kinda like adopting the metric system in a way, only the hazards are different.) I applaud the few places that have just put a stop to it, and started paying their employees standard wages. But I don't know how they are faring.
I know some customers don't like it and predict it wouldn't fly if every place did it because no one would pay the prices they'd have to charge. I say tough noogies to that - if we're not willing to pay the same minimum wage (or more!) to people who serve our food, what the hell is wrong with us; we're taking advantage of them (although one could write reams about that...).
I'm sure servers who make buckets of dollars in tips wouldn't like it either. I don't know what to say, or do, about that.
I don’t understand why so many people think that tipped employees minimum wage is “less” than non tipped employees. That’s not how it works. Let’s say that you are a server, with a minimum wage of $6/hr. Let’s also say you make zero tips all week, your employer has already budgeted the $6 an hour for every hour you worked. Now let’s say that your state has a minimum wage of 9/hr. The employer *must* cover the missing $3/hr to compensate the tipped employee. No tipped employees makes less than minimum wage. As a server myself, I prefer this system, because I am able to make more than if my employer just payed me minimum.
I have no beef with tips, as recognition for excellence. I have a problem with tips being used to get people to minimum wage. Many employers, when faced with an employee whose tips do not make up the difference will fire the employee, before paying the difference themselves. As a customer, I am not that server’s employer, the restaurant is. I resent feeling obligated to leave a tip upwards of 15% - 20% because the server is not being paid what they should be for the work they do. No other customer service based industry gets away with that.
I am happy to tip great service, even good service, but waitstaff should be paid a reasonable wage by their employer to begin with, even if they are having an off day, or work short shifts or lousy hours.
Tipped employees that don’t make minimum wage after tips pulse their hourly rate are usually not good employees to begin with, so yes, they get fired at a higher rate, but they still get payed the minimum wage for the hours they worked up to their termination.
As for the customer side of things, tipping gives you more economic freedom, not less. But if you don’t use services from places where you feel obligated to tip.
Btw, don’t spread the lie that tipped employees don’t make minimum wage. Use you’re above argument, that you don’t personally like it as a costumer, and you’re opinion on the topic will be more respected.
How about you don’t spread the lie that any tipped employee that does not make enough tips to reach the federal minimum wage is a bad employee. Federal minimum wage for tipped employees is $2.13 an hour. So those employees are DEPENDING on tips to make up TWO Thirds of their wages. 66%! That is completely unreasonable - especially when it is also a given that those tips are shared with other staff, like cooks and busboys.
Your elitist attitude is part of the problem. Stop looking down your nose and believing that you are entitled to a tip for existing. You aren’t. But you are entitled to a reasonable base pay.
This is my bias: as a restaurant/banquet server who makes 2.50 an hour base plus tips in the restaurant, and a hourly rate above minimum as a banquet server, I end up making more per hour int the restaurant than I do as a banquet server.
If a server doesn’t make enough tips to reach minimum, there is 3 possibilities as to why:
1: The customers don’t want to tip because they think its wrong
-Considering most customers tip in restaurants where its encouraged, possibility 1 is a rare case scenario, and the employee’s wage still must be covered by the employer.
2: The restaurant isn’t brining in costumers
-In this scenario, the employee is still going to be paid at least minimum wage, making the point moot
.
3: Their bad at their job.
-This speaks for it’s self.
No tipped employee depends on tips for their base guaranteed wage, because its still required to meet minimum wage.
You are missing my point.
Waitstaff should not have to depend on tips to keep their job or get enough pay. They certainly should not be required to get more than 2/3 of their pay direct from customers. It should not be what is effectively a commission based paycheck. They are not car or house Salesmen.
Good service should not be held hostage to the tips received.
Service should not be influenced by the server’s perception of how much they will get in tips from a customer.
You appear to be under the misconception that I want to eliminate tipping. I don’t. I want it to be truly voluntary and reflective of the service received. Not “expected” at levels ranging from 15-25% or given from a feeling of obligation because everyone know wait staff depend on them.
The situation as it stands leaves servers few choices &frankly many are not living like kings. Especially if they are not working in a mid to high end, high volume location. Tips should be TIPS in addition to the real minimum wage in line with every other minimum wage employee in this country.
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