Tipping Question

[Doctorfish]

Fair enough. I also agree that inappropriate for owners to take a share of gratuities.

 

[Alucard]

Here is where I struggle with the tipping - if you have had a fantastically prepared, attractively-plated meal, do you tip the kitchen staff that actually made it, or just the person that brought the plate to your table? Why should only the front of house people get the tips?

 

[caydiver]

Here is one example of why they may be more deserving. A family is eating in Taikun at the RC. One person wants a Caesar salad and insists that the salad comes from Seven which is across the street. As there is no one available to fetch it, the server does racing like a lunatic as she has other tables as well. While she is gone the sushi for the other diners is prepared and served. The salad arrives while the others are still eating. The lady has a hissy fit because she was not served with the others. Interestingly all the salad from Seven is identical in every way to the one served at Adaimo which had been explained to the guest. She insists she prefers the one from Seven. She left without touching the salad. This is a true story and just one of many. The servers are on the front line and sadly have to deal with the worst and rudest people that others never even have to see. Perhaps that is at least part of the reason.

 

[Trivan]

Here is where I struggle with the tipping - if you have had a fantastically prepared, attractively-plated meal, do you tip the kitchen staff that actually made it, or just the person that brought the plate to your table? Why should only the front of house people get the tips?

Typically the pay is very different for back verse in front of the house. Front of the house earnings are made mostly from tips, where the back doesn't receive a cut, will get paid more (eg. minimum wage for the back and less then minimum wage for the front). There are tax issues when this occurs and there are many restaurants going toward a no tipping policy. Danny Meyers (a NYC restauranteur) led this change and in theory allows a more fair distribution within a restaurant. Many of the high end places in NYC are now no tipping.