Gratuities

[Eric308]

Same $2.05 an hour for servers and Bartenders in Texas, but no minimum required! If there's no tips, they make $2.05 an hour! Here in Austin there are more waitpersons, bartenders, Parking Valets etc. than regular jobs! These are the kind of jobs that our Governor, Rick "The New Nixon" Perry is touting on his Magical Mystery Tour as the future President of Oz! :wacko: (Never happen, he makes W look like Thomas Jefferson!)!)

I have a friend who works as a valet parking attendant at an upscale hotel in Beverly Hills (I guess they all are upscale). Anyway, he PAYS a healthy amount of money weekly just to work there and does VERY well on tips alone.

 

[me_little_me]

I have a rather naive question- on my last Amtrak trip, I paid for my meals using a debit card and when the attendant brings the receipt it has the amount mentioned for the food I ordered and it has an empty row called "Tip" and then "Total". So if I ordered at $10 breakfast, I write $2 in the tip and total $12, does that $2 count towards gratuity to the server? Or does one have to leave a cash bill at the table to be counted as gratuity?

As a former bartender, server, busboy....I can tell you that it is MUCH preferred to have the customer pay for the meal/drink ONLY on the card, and give the server the rest in cash. That way there is no tax involved.

Huh? The price is calculated; the tax is added; the amount is subtotaled; THEN you are presented with the bill. You add the gratuity AFTER the tax.

The customer is only sometimes taxed on the gratuity when the "gratuity" (read service charge") is is required and is added to the bill prior to your being presented with the bill. If it is required, it is not a gratuity but is in fact part of the bill and therefore taxable. If you can't decline it, it is not a gratuity.

 

[amamba]

I have a rather naive question- on my last Amtrak trip, I paid for my meals using a debit card and when the attendant brings the receipt it has the amount mentioned for the food I ordered and it has an empty row called "Tip" and then "Total". So if I ordered at $10 breakfast, I write $2 in the tip and total $12, does that $2 count towards gratuity to the server? Or does one have to leave a cash bill at the table to be counted as gratuity?

As a former bartender, server, busboy....I can tell you that it is MUCH preferred to have the customer pay for the meal/drink ONLY on the card, and give the server the rest in cash. That way there is no tax involved.

Huh? The price is calculated; the tax is added; the amount is subtotaled; THEN you are presented with the bill. You add the gratuity AFTER the tax.

The customer is only sometimes taxed on the gratuity when the "gratuity" (read service charge") is is required and is added to the bill prior to your being presented with the bill. If it is required, it is not a gratuity but is in fact part of the bill and therefore taxable. If you can't decline it, it is not a gratuity.

I think Eric means that if the customer leaves the tip in cash, that the server can under-report their income to the IRS and not be taxed on the full amount of the tips they earn throughout the year. Personally, that is why I always leave my tips on my credit card - why should I support the ability of others to shirk their responsibility to pay income taxes? Now I am not saying that all servers/bartenders do this, but to me, that is what sounds like Eric is advocating.

 

[Texan Eagle]

I have a rather naive question- on my last Amtrak trip, I paid for my meals using a debit card and when the attendant brings the receipt it has the amount mentioned for the food I ordered and it has an empty row called "Tip" and then "Total". So if I ordered at $10 breakfast, I write $2 in the tip and total $12, does that $2 count towards gratuity to the server? Or does one have to leave a cash bill at the table to be counted as gratuity?

As a former bartender, server, busboy....I can tell you that it is MUCH preferred to have the customer pay for the meal/drink ONLY on the card, and give the server the rest in cash. That way there is no tax involved.

Huh? The price is calculated; the tax is added; the amount is subtotaled; THEN you are presented with the bill. You add the gratuity AFTER the tax.

The customer is only sometimes taxed on the gratuity when the "gratuity" (read service charge") is is required and is added to the bill prior to your being presented with the bill. If it is required, it is not a gratuity but is in fact part of the bill and therefore taxable. If you can't decline it, it is not a gratuity.

I think Eric means that if the customer leaves the tip in cash, that the server can under-report their income to the IRS and not be taxed on the full amount of the tips they earn throughout the year. Personally, that is why I always leave my tips on my credit card - why should I support the ability of others to shirk their responsibility to pay income taxes? Now I am not saying that all servers/bartenders do this, but to me, that is what sounds like Eric is advocating.

I was just going to reply to Eric this same exact thing, good you told it already. I pay a substantial amount of my salary out as taxes... Federal Tax, State Tax, Sales Tax on everything I buy, why should I pay my hard-earned money (after all the tax has been taken away) in a manner to help you evade taxes? And please, dont argue that the waiters and bartenders earn very less so its okay if they evade paying taxes.. I am not a millionaire myself, I just started my first job and still have to pay all those taxes, so, sorry, I won't pay tips and gratuities in cash and help you evade taxes.

 

[PerRock]

Same $2.05 an hour for servers and Bartenders in Texas, but no minimum required! If there's no tips, they make $2.05 an hour! Here in Austin there are more waitpersons, bartenders, Parking Valets etc. than regular jobs! These are the kind of jobs that our Governor, Rick "The New Nixon" Perry is touting on his Magical Mystery Tour as the future President of Oz! :wacko: (Never happen, he makes W look like Thomas Jefferson!)!)

Tipped jobs are probably better than no jobs. Well that's not entirely true. tipped jobs are better then having no more jobs that unskilled laborers can do. lol Although in a sense being a waitperson/bartender/etc would mean you'd really want to make a good impression on your customers...

I know when I worked Valet here in Michigan (tip-based) we got $6.50/hr and were supposed to make it up in Tips to hit minimum wage, however most of use knew that what we were making in tips on the day shift rarely put us up to minimum wage. Your employer is supposed to check your reported tip amounts & adjust your wages every year so that you are making minimum, but most don't.

peter

 

[Eric308]

I have a rather naive question- on my last Amtrak trip, I paid for my meals using a debit card and when the attendant brings the receipt it has the amount mentioned for the food I ordered and it has an empty row called "Tip" and then "Total". So if I ordered at $10 breakfast, I write $2 in the tip and total $12, does that $2 count towards gratuity to the server? Or does one have to leave a cash bill at the table to be counted as gratuity?

As a former bartender, server, busboy....I can tell you that it is MUCH preferred to have the customer pay for the meal/drink ONLY on the card, and give the server the rest in cash. That way there is no tax involved.

Huh? The price is calculated; the tax is added; the amount is subtotaled; THEN you are presented with the bill. You add the gratuity AFTER the tax.

The customer is only sometimes taxed on the gratuity when the "gratuity" (read service charge") is is required and is added to the bill prior to your being presented with the bill. If it is required, it is not a gratuity but is in fact part of the bill and therefore taxable. If you can't decline it, it is not a gratuity.

I think Eric means that if the customer leaves the tip in cash, that the server can under-report their income to the IRS and not be taxed on the full amount of the tips they earn throughout the year. Personally, that is why I always leave my tips on my credit card - why should I support the ability of others to shirk their responsibility to pay income taxes? Now I am not saying that all servers/bartenders do this, but to me, that is what sounds like Eric is advocating.

I was just going to reply to Eric this same exact thing, good you told it already. I pay a substantial amount of my salary out as taxes... Federal Tax, State Tax, Sales Tax on everything I buy, why should I pay my hard-earned money (after all the tax has been taken away) in a manner to help you evade taxes? And please, dont argue that the waiters and bartenders earn very less so its okay if they evade paying taxes.. I am not a millionaire myself, I just started my first job and still have to pay all those taxes, so, sorry, I won't pay tips and gratuities in cash and help you evade taxes.

My point was why should the server get charged with the credit card fee or surcharge for credit transactions? Any restaurant takes that directly out of the total amount including the tip.

 

[Guest]

I have a rather naive question- on my last Amtrak trip, I paid for my meals using a debit card and when the attendant brings the receipt it has the amount mentioned for the food I ordered and it has an empty row called "Tip" and then "Total". So if I ordered at $10 breakfast, I write $2 in the tip and total $12, does that $2 count towards gratuity to the server? Or does one have to leave a cash bill at the table to be counted as gratuity?

As a former bartender, server, busboy....I can tell you that it is MUCH preferred to have the customer pay for the meal/drink ONLY on the card, and give the server the rest in cash. That way there is no tax involved.

Huh? The price is calculated; the tax is added; the amount is subtotaled; THEN you are presented with the bill. You add the gratuity AFTER the tax.

The customer is only sometimes taxed on the gratuity when the "gratuity" (read service charge") is is required and is added to the bill prior to your being presented with the bill. If it is required, it is not a gratuity but is in fact part of the bill and therefore taxable. If you can't decline it, it is not a gratuity.

I think Eric means that if the customer leaves the tip in cash, that the server can under-report their income to the IRS and not be taxed on the full amount of the tips they earn throughout the year. Personally, that is why I always leave my tips on my credit card - why should I support the ability of others to shirk their responsibility to pay income taxes? Now I am not saying that all servers/bartenders do this, but to me, that is what sounds like Eric is advocating.

I was just going to reply to Eric this same exact thing, good you told it already. I pay a substantial amount of my salary out as taxes... Federal Tax, State Tax, Sales Tax on everything I buy, why should I pay my hard-earned money (after all the tax has been taken away) in a manner to help you evade taxes? And please, dont argue that the waiters and bartenders earn very less so its okay if they evade paying taxes.. I am not a millionaire myself, I just started my first job and still have to pay all those taxes, so, sorry, I won't pay tips and gratuities in cash and help you evade taxes.

My point was why should the server get charged with the credit card fee or surcharge for credit transactions? Any restaurant takes that directly out of the total amount including the tip.

No, you originally complained about taxes, not CC fees. This is exhibit A of why tipping is a sleazeball system.

Yeah, I don't tip on Amtrak much. Nothing for the SCA since I will probably never see them again. I tip in the dining car except for my last meal since it will have no bearing on my future meals. Amtrak employees get compensated very well without tips so the fact that they still think they deserve more is disheartening.

 

[guest]

I do not tip, period.

 

[GG-1]

Aloha

This subject comes up frequently. What baffles me is the extreme feelings some exhibit. Tips are Gratuities, and usually, and should be given to express appreciation for special service received.

 

[TVRM610]

Tipped jobs are probably better than no jobs. Well that's not entirely true. tipped jobs are better then having no more jobs that unskilled laborers can do. lol Although in a sense being a waitperson/bartender/etc would mean you'd really want to make a good impression on your customers...

That's a very arrogant statement to make. As if anyone who works "tipped jobs" must be "unskilled labor." It takes more skill to deal with everyday rude customers than many people could handle in a day. For the record, I haven't worked a tipped job in years, and even then i was payed above min. wage and tips were simply that, tips. Still, tips are a nice way to let someone know that you enjoyed their service. I do think that tips have gotten out of hand here in the USA, but that is not the fault of the servers.

 

[sitzplatz17]

1315765731[/url]' post='318899']I do not tip, period.

Okay then Mr. Pink.( reservoir dogs reference)

That's fine. We in the service industry think your a seven letter word that ends in "hole". Period.

If you think SCAs, etc don't remember... Well you might be in for a rude surprise some day.

 

[Tumbleweed]

If you want to be remembered (for better or for worse) stock up on a roll of $2.00 bills or $1.00 coins and use them for tips.......and look them in the eye when giving it....

 

[Blackwolf]

For tips, I take the root meaning to heart: To ImProve Service. If there is a service being provided where a level of attention or work goes above what is to be adequately expected, a good tip should be given. If it is within expectations, then a marginal tip may be given in money (or in many cases, through verbal reinforcement like a sincere "Thank You!") And of course, if its below expectation levels, then the tip to be given is pure verbal and perhaps even in writing to a superior!

For Amtrak, I've tipped monetarily the LSA for dining car service, the SCA for the personal service and attention, the Red Cap for baggage handling and even tipped a ticket agent once because they went above and beyond in getting me a reservation that was otherwise impossible to get.

Just my $0.02.

 

[jmbgeg]

I do not tip, period.

Good for you. Go travel Greyhound. lol

 

[jmbgeg]

I read that there is no definite policy on gratuities on the LSL and EB, however good service should be rewarded on a discretionary basis. As a rule, we, in the UK are not used to leaving tips as a part of the service except in restaurants.

Therefore I have a couple of questions:

What is the average tip to the Sleeper car attendants? I guess that it is not the same attendants all the way?

What do you leave in the restaurant car even though there is no bill to settle.

An help, guidance and thoughts on this subject would be appreciated.

I tip SCA's :

$0 bad service

$10 basic service

$20 good service (per day, end of trip)

I tip in the diner the same as I would at a restaurant.

I can only lol about "I'dont tip" post. No I can't. It is offensive. (Sorry to be combative Alan and Anthony).

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

However, all workers here are entitled to reasonable wages and this is upheld by industrial law.

Here in the USA, we have such laws too; minimum wage laws.

Those laws do allow employers to pay less than the minimum wage for very specific jobs (like waitstaff), if they can prove that the worker's reduced wages plus actual tips exceeds the minimum wage set by law.

The rational, is that the worker has to provide good service, and the customer directly acknowledges receiving that good service, by providing a good tip.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

Yeah, I don't tip on Amtrak much. Nothing for the SCA since I will probably never see them again. I tip in the dining car except for my last meal since it will have no bearing on my future meals. Amtrak employees get compensated very well without tips so the fact that they still think they deserve more is disheartening.

I tip in the dinning car, the same amount I tip for us at a regular restaurant.

I tip the SCA based on extra service. Over the years, there have been SCA's that are quite attentive, and I tip them as a way to thank them. On the flip side (which is rare), a SCA that I never see, gets nothing.

In a very unique circumstance that happened only once (so far), I gave a good tip to the LSA too for going out of her way to make us as comfortable as possible under some very trying times (24+hr delay).

 

[PRR 60]

However, all workers here are entitled to reasonable wages and this is upheld by industrial law.

Here in the USA, we have such laws too; minimum wage laws.

Those laws do allow employers to pay less than the minimum wage for very specific jobs (like waitstaff), if they can prove that the worker's reduced wages plus actual tips exceeds the minimum wage set by law.

The rational, is that the worker has to provide good service, and the customer directly acknowledges receiving that good service, by providing a good tip.

Certain states, California being an example, have laws that dictate a minimum wage for all jobs, including those jobs that traditionally have gratuities as a component. Amtrak service staff is paid well above minimum wage.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

However, all workers here are entitled to reasonable wages and this is upheld by industrial law.

Here in the USA, we have such laws too; minimum wage laws.

In many regions there is basically no way to live a conventional life from forty minimum wage hours per week. In those cases you can choose to work multiple jobs or to live out of your car and "wash" yourself in the bathroom of the nearest restaurant, but what sort of life is that? We also have presidential candidates who openly brag about how they wish they could repeal our minimum wage laws to make things just a little better at the top and a whole lot worse for those at the bottom.

 

[smurfmom]

Being a first time Amtrak rider I am so thankful for this entire post.... I would have not lnown to tip anyone... so thank you all!!! :blush:

 

[sitzplatz17]

1323036864[/url]' post='333086']

1323034167[/url]' post='333075']

1315646291[/url]' post='318736']However, all workers here are entitled to reasonable wages and this is upheld by industrial law.

Here in the USA, we have such laws too; minimum wage laws.

In many regions there is basically no way to live a conventional life from forty minimum wage hours per week. In those cases you can choose to work multiple jobs or to live out of your car and "wash" yourself in the bathroom of the nearest restaurant, but what sort of life is that? We also have presidential candidates who openly brag about how they wish they could repeal our minimum wage laws to make things just a little better at the top and a whole lot worse for those at the bottom.

Amen, brother, amen.

While its true that SCAs get paid above minimum wage, you really have to acknowledge and respect the work hours. Yes, a double shift at a restaurant sucks - and is massively exhausting - but an SCA on a train like the zephyr works up to six days on. That means they are asleep at midnight and up at 4 am form at least five nights.

How many of us here could really do that? It's by no means easy work.

 

[Guestshelz]

I'm super shy so when I meet the service attendant I explain that to them and tell them I prefer to eat in my roomette so if they don't mind bringing me my meals I'd prefer it and they can get the server's tip. It works for me and I've always had great service in every way. I wouldn't mind eating in the dining room if they didn't force you to sit with other diners. I enjoy conversation but that is uncomfortable to me. As far as my tip-I usually leave $50 on say Southwest Chief or Sunset Limited since those are my routes. I'm thinking $5.00 each for four or five meals and then $10+ per night. I just feel like everyone likes to get some cash so I routinely leave a few dollars in hotel rooms, for tour drivers, whomever.

 

[gabbygrrl]

I'm super shy so when I meet the service attendant I explain that to them and tell them I prefer to eat in my roomette so if they don't mind bringing me my meals I'd prefer it and they can get the server's tip. It works for me and I've always had great service in every way. I wouldn't mind eating in the dining room if they didn't force you to sit with other diners. I enjoy conversation but that is uncomfortable to me. As far as my tip-I usually leave $50 on say Southwest Chief or Sunset Limited since those are my routes. I'm thinking $5.00 each for four or five meals and then $10+ per night. I just feel like everyone likes to get some cash so I routinely leave a few dollars in hotel rooms, for tour drivers, whomever.

It's too bad they couldn't figure a way to have dining for parties of 1 or 2. I am taking my first LD trip later this year and my partner and I do not want to do shared dining, so we will request meals in our roomette. We're not anti-social, it's more of an OCD issue. Eating with strangers can be stressful when it comes to OCD so we will avoid it. I'd love to have the experience of being in the dining car, but only if we could converse with the diners seated near us, not WITH us. We plan on tipping generously for our meals to be brought to the room.

I can't wait to take this trip! It's just unfortunate there's not a way to allow singles or parties of 2 to have their own table-perhaps allowing it only when the dining car opens and have 45 minutes to dine....again, I don't know enough about how it works to have a solution.

 

[gingee0]

I am on tthe city of new orleans right now. At eleven o'clock I went to the stair area where there usually is water or something. I found a tiny bit of punch left. Other people were looking for water too. Is this good service? Am in a bedroom.