I was banned from Murphy's Taproom

[Raineyrocks]

I need a job but I live too far away plus I'm way too clumsy to be a waitress. 

don't worry ... you will still get 20% tips

HA! So true! 

[Mike Barskey]

I didn't want to start up this thread again, but this article was just too perfect to pass up.

Artists' models in Paris stripped naked Monday, braving freezing temperatures to protest against a ban on tips and to demand better pay and recognition.

There's tons in this short article to support all kinds of views about the tipping argument. Enjoy.

[Pat McCotter]

I didn't want to start up this thread again, but this article was just too perfect to pass up.

Artists' models in Paris stripped naked Monday, braving freezing temperatures to protest against a ban on tips and to demand better pay and recognition.

There's tons in this short article to support all kinds of views about the tipping argument. Enjoy.

The models are government workers!

The models, who work for the city of Paris posing for students and professional artists, said the end of the "cornet" [tips] was the last straw.

[Ryan McGuire]

Christophe Girard, an official responsible for cultural affairs at the Paris city hall, said authorities had no choice but to ban the cornet, which had been ruled illegal.

"We can talk about making up the shortfall in what they earn and we can see if the ministry would be prepared to consider recognizing this as a profession,"

"Yes citizen, the ministry cares so much for you that they may be able to find time out of their important busy bureaucratic schedules to consider granting you the privilege of doing whatever it is that you wanted to do with your small little life, but of course you must prove to them that you are worthy."

Language like this makes me sick.

[error]

Where are the pictures?

[Daien]

Okay, I have to report the following, having seen it with my very own eyes.

MIKE BARSKEY TIPPED A WAITER!!!

Yes, folks, it's true. It happened at an Indian Restaurant someplace in Manchester, and he never even broke a sweat. More impressive still, it was to maintain his integrity as he failed to inform the waiter ahead of time that he doesn't tip.

Will wonders never cease? 

[Pat K]

 

[AntonLee]

Okay, I have to report the following, having seen it with my very own eyes.

MIKE BARSKEY TIPPED A WAITER!!!

Yes, folks, it's true. It happened at an Indian Restaurant someplace in Manchester, and he never even broke a sweat. More impressive still, it was to maintain his integrity as he failed to inform the waiter ahead of time that he doesn't tip.

Will wonders never cease? 

I now know that truly anything is possible.

[ancapagency]

I haven't been getting to the Taproom as much as I used to, but I remember back in the beginning it seemed like the Porcupines were good tippers.  Of course, the service was really good back then as well.

The times I get to the Taproom these days, the service seems to have fallen off--with a few notable exceptions.  It's not awful, but definitely not where it used to be.  For whatever reason, I think Murphy's has lost a lot of the experienced and skilled waitstaff, and replaced them with a crew that seems for the most part to be less skilled, and somewhat less personable.

It might be interesting to examine the reasons for that.  I'm not suggesting I know what those reasons may be--but perhaps if the problem was found, a solution might be found as well.  I'm sure we all want Murphy's to stay in business, and to be as good an experience as possible.  Keith has been really cool about letting us use the place for MVP meetings, campaign functions, and so forth. 

So, I'm pretty damn sure Keith isn't paying waitstaff less than in the beginning--so that probably isn't the reason.

Could bad tipping be a problem?  Perhaps--but it would have to be across the board bad tipping--not just (at the risk of being branded as a collectivist of some sort) Porcupines being bad tippers.  We just don't provide enough of a segment of Murphy's business for that to be the case.  Now don't get me wrong--Porcupines may be (as a group.  Yeah, yeah, I know) bad tippers in general--I don't know one way or another.  I know I'm not, but I can only speak for myself.  Nonetheless, I doubt this is the problem.

Could it be that business has gotten too busy?  Perhaps.  And while the quick answer would be: "hire more staff," the decision is more complicated than that.  Perhaps the level of business is at an awkward stage--too busy to provide the same level of service, but not busy enough to make it cost effective to hire more staff.  I don't think that's the case either, but I'm shooting in the dark here.

Could it simply be that the really skilled waitstaff can get better money elsewhere?  Perhaps.  I don't have any ties into that grapevine, so I don't know.  It's possible that some other place can offer better money to the top-skilled staff, for whatever reason, and Murphy's just doesn't have the ability to pay more than that other place (assuming it exists)--or perhaps they have a crowd there that tips better.

Could it be some regulation of which we are unaware has chased a lot of the top skilled waitstaff out of the business?  Perhaps, but I'd think we'd have heard more about that.

Could it be some other thing about the Porcupine crowd that has chased the good waitstaff away?  Such as the number of us who open carry and such?  Again, perhaps, but it didn't seem to be much of an issue back in the beginning.  Could it be the way that so many Porcupine guys drooled all over the women?  Again, perhaps--and it definitely used to happen more than it seems to now.

I'm just speculating--and I may be completely off base.  I'd be mildly interested if someone has any idea.

That being said, let me say this:  Murphy's is still a decent place to hang out.  The service--if not up to its old standards, isn't too terrible in general--and Keith is quick to respond favorably to any complaints.  The food is decent for the price level, and the atmosphere is good.  The Taproom is clean, all the time.  And contrary to other folk's experiences, I've never had trouble with the bill.  Keith still makes the place available to us for all sorts of things, at no extra charge as far as I know.  They've got free wireless internet, and don't give anyone any crap for surfing their free internet for long periods of time and sucking down the free refills of soft drinks.  The beer selection is pretty damn good for those beer drinkers among us (I ain't one of 'em), and the mixed drinks, if the Jack and Cokes I order occasionally are anything to go by, are pretty good.  The prices are reasonable, going by the market, and the food is reasonable as well.  I've never had anything terrible in the way of food or drink, and the service problems have always been more of a matter of neglect than of actively bad service.  If you can manage to flag someone down, they generally get you what you want and are nice about it--which is definitely not the case everywhere.

I think some of the Porcupine Community expect quite a bit more than they should for just being members of the community.  Remember--Murphy's is a business, not just a Porcupine Club House.  I'd love a Porcupine Club House, but I doubt we have the numbers to pull it off effectively yet.  Perhaps someday we will.  Until then, why don't we try to help, rather than complain so much.

[dalebert]

Elijah is very good and he's almost always there on Tuesday nights. He's one of the people who has stuck around quite a while.

[dalebert]

Uh, we're already all taking advantage of Keith's Tuesday night discount ($4 beers for $2)...

4 beers for $2?  Thast really cheap, considering one beer normally costs four or five dollars.   

Is that like miniature paper cup beers, or what?

Look closer.

[error]

Manchester is a city?

[dalebert]

Manchester is a city?

What's even funnier is that Keene is a city. 

[shyfrog]

I know this thread has been dead for a while and the original non-tipper has changed his outlook slightly since then, but I've been doing some of my own social experimentation over the last couple years or so regarding tipping.

Historically, I always tip 20% unless the service was absolutely atrocious, in which case I would either let the server or management know and seek a remedy.

So here are the results: I've been going to one particular establishment now for 2 years. I tip VERY well every time I go. I have now found that everyone there knows me by name, I get served much faster, I get discounts, I get free meals if even the smallest thing goes wrong, sometimes I just get free meals, I get FREE BEER on occasion, I get discounts for live music, I've dated some of the staff, and now... I'm invited to their parties after closing as well as other gatherings and private events

[anthonybpugh]

You mean that not being a douche bag pays off?  Who would have figured?