I was banned from Murphy's Taproom

[mackler]

Okay, firstly, please don't shoot the messenger.  I'm just reporting what will be known by all soon enough.  I'm not responsible, and I don't think there is any one person to whom blame can be assigned.  What has happened is just the inevitable result of the events of this situation catalyzed by good old-fashioned human nature.

Well, so, anyway, a large group of us went out to eat at a local restaurant tonight.  Our table's bill was all on one check.  And not to say that we were an overly demanding bunch, but no doubt we made our waitress work.

When the check came and people started throwing forth cash and cards, and the calculators came out and...well...to get to the point: Mike, we all love you and you're a great guy, but the tragic reality is that, to put it as diplomatically as possible, well, your last name is now a verb.

[Lloyd Danforth]

I'm thinking he may be the catalyst that brings change to a sick industry.  I have yet had it explained to me why this industry doesn't pay it's employees full salaries like most businesses.

[JonM]

If you were a person who wanted to wait tables to earn money, and considered yourself the type of person who could provide excellent service to your customers would you work at the restaurant that paid a fixed rate and did not allow tipping, or one that paid below minimum wage and allowed tipping?

[Russell Kanning]

almost everyone in every other industry prefers just getting paid a fixed rate ... it still seems strange that this one works this way

[Ryan McGuire]

I have yet had it explained to me why this industry doesn't pay it's employees full salaries like most businesses.

It's not as if waiters are being singled out as the only industry that doesn't receive a salary. Most direct sales jobs are based on commission, not salary.

The simple answer is that both restaurant owners and waiters are both businesses. They both come to an equitable agreement of what services and compensations will be required of each other. When the restaurant owner hires a new waiter, he is giving the waiter much more than just a "salary", he's essentially giving the waiter a monopoly on serving customers within a certain physical area with the ability to accept tips. Not just anyone can start serving beers to people in his restaurant, you have to contract with the owner (thus becoming a waiter) first. This monopoly privilege is part of the waiters compensation from the restaurant owner. The waiter is getting the full compensation owed to him.

almost everyone in every other industry prefers just getting paid a fixed rate ... it still seems strange that this one works this way

Again, untrue. Most sales jobs are commission based. If you don't perform, you don't get paid (well).

[Russell Kanning]

that still leaves most people in most industries ... and many sales guys wish they were not on commission

this arrangement that restaurants have ... might make sense ... but it is not inevitable or necessarily the obvious or best way to do things

it is also customary for the car sales industry to be based on pressure and fraud ... it is customary, but most of us do not appreciate it

[dalebert]

I'm thinking he may be the catalyst that brings change to a sick industry.  I have yet had it explained to me why this industry doesn't pay it's employees full salaries like most businesses.

I really don't mind that idea. I even suggested a free market way to move in that direction. However, I don't think what he's doing is going to do anything like that and apparently he doesn't mean to. He claims he has no desire to affect a culture change.

[Russell Kanning]

but I guess he will

maybe this thread can rival the Browns vs Evil IRS thread

we can each tell our story of how we got kicked out of Murphy's Taproom

[Porcupine_in_MA]

Is being banned from Murphy's the new sign of being cool among porcs?

[miamiballoonguy]

Tonight at Taproom Tuesday, Keith politely banned me from his restaurant because I do not tip. I wrote about it here. Bummer. Looks like I will be seeing some of you less frequently, since I really only see you Tuesdays at Murphy's. Hopefully we'll be able to hook up at other events.

Ya Cheap Bastard. 

Give a few bucks to the people that server your food and drinks.  Geze.  I wouldn't want to be stuck serving you food and drinks.  You sound like the party of 20 last night that had me make 10 balloons and spend a half hour at their table, and not one single dollar was given to me as a tip last night.

If you can't afford the tip, then don't eat out.  Realize this, if servers were not getting part of their income in tips, you beer would be 15% to 20% more as would the rest of your food.

[miamiballoonguy]

If you want to see what service is like in the absence of a tipping convention, spend some time in France. It's not pretty.

This.

[miamiballoonguy]

If you want to see what service is like in the absence of a tipping convention, spend some time in France. It's not pretty.

then again ... most service industries do not receive tips ... and you still get service.
not having to tip is one of the reasons I go to restaurants where I order at a counter and pick up my food there also (like all of our village pizza places here in the Shire). I used to get frustrated in california .... why am I paying someone to keep me thirsty?
I don't tip at the grocery store or walmart and usually get friendly service.

These people that work at the grocery store get a salary plus benefits.  Most servers don't.  They also get taxed on 15% of the tab for every open order they have as required by the IRS.  Even if you order takeout.  So don't be cheap and drop a few bucks to help them out.  8-)

[miamiballoonguy]

Tonight at Taproom Tuesday, Keith politely banned me from his restaurant because I do not tip. I wrote about it here. Bummer. Looks like I will be seeing some of you less frequently, since I really only see you Tuesdays at Murphy's. Hopefully we'll be able to hook up at other events.

I guess that when I finally do make it up there, I'll be hanging out there quite a bit.

[FTL_Ian]

When the check came and people started throwing forth cash and cards, and the calculators came out and...well...to get to the point: Mike, we all love you and you're a great guy, but the tragic reality is that, to put it as diplomatically as possible, well, your last name is now a verb.

Can you give examples?  Like, "Don't Barskey the tip?"

[miamiballoonguy]

I have yet had it explained to me why this industry doesn't pay it's employees full salaries like most businesses.

It's not as if waiters are being singled out as the only industry that doesn't receive a salary. Most direct sales jobs are based on commission, not salary.

The simple answer is that both restaurant owners and waiters are both businesses. They both come to an equitable agreement of what services and compensations will be required of each other. When the restaurant owner hires a new waiter, he is giving the waiter much more than just a "salary", he's essentially giving the waiter a monopoly on serving customers within a certain physical area with the ability to accept tips. Not just anyone can start serving beers to people in his restaurant, you have to contract with the owner (thus becoming a waiter) first. This monopoly privilege is part of the waiters compensation from the restaurant owner. The waiter is getting the full compensation owed to him.

almost everyone in every other industry prefers just getting paid a fixed rate ... it still seems strange that this one works this way

Again, untrue. Most sales jobs are commission based. If you don't perform, you don't get paid (well).

Don't forget the self employed.  It works along the same principles.  If I suck, I won't get that referral or the person that was at that party that saw me won't book me if I was just a plain, run of the mill sword, doggies, and flowers balloon guy.  They won't hire me if I treat the kids like crap, no matter how bad the kid is.  It's not just the servers at restaurants.