Better to leave no tip than a bad tip: BC food industry
Posted June 18, 2013 8:04 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – It has become one of the most talked-about stories on our website this week. Our piece on whether tipping servers should be banned has sparked a barrage of comments and a response from the local restaurant industry, including what to do if you’re not happy with the service you’re getting.
It started with a New York restaurant’s decision to ban gratuities, telling customers that staff are paid a good wage with benefits.
About two-thirds of people responding to a News1130 poll say tipping should be banned at restaurants here, too, with many complaining about poor service and the expectations around leaving a gratuity.
But Ian Tostenson with the BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association says the reality is, tips do make up a big part of a servers pay.
“They’re really important; it’s the reward they get for giving good service and Canadians are generous that way. Patrons at restaurants expect to tip and have some control over that part of that transaction, whether it’s zero, ten or 15 to 20 per cent. It’s important on both sides,” he tells News1130.
He points out tips make up a large percentage of a server’s take-home pay, even as hourly wages in restaurants have gone up in recent years.
“A good server would tell you they don’t care about their wages; they work for tips. That’s how significant it is, and there’s a lot of incentive, by way of tips, for them to give good service.”
Tostenson says a good tip for excellent service is 20 per cent. “If you’re almost there and feeling pretty good, it’s 15 per cent. Honestly, if you’re struggling to pay 10 per cent, I don’t think you should tip. You shouldn’t tip unless you feel something magical has happened.”
If you’re leaving 10 per cent or less, Tostenson believes it sends the wrong message.
“I think it borders on saying that you’re a bit cheap,” he explains. “The message you should send is to not tip and you should talk to the manager and explain in positive terms how the experience could have been better. A business owner loves to hear that and know that had it been up to your expectations that you would have tipped.”
He also points out that most restaurants don’t get involved with how tips are administered to staff. “That’s all up to the employees. They manage it, they distribute it. The restaurant owners don’t get involved in that at all.”
Servers ‘tip out’ a set percentage of their bills to hosts and kitchen and bus staff.
