General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: The Waitress, the Pastor and the Applebee's Meltdown...a perfect internet storm. [View all]OnlinePoker
(5,717 posts)Min wage there is $7.35 an hour, but if you're a waitress (or pizza delivery driver, or bartender, etc) you can be paid as little as $3.63 and have to make the rest up in tips. If you don't, the restaurant owner has to cover the distance. In this case, Applebee's has forced an 18% tip on their bills instead of paying their workers a decent wage. That way, the onus is on the customers to see upfront what the cost of the worker is. The only thing I haven't seen is if it is posted in the restaurant that a mandatory tip is charged and how much it is. If it is posted, the pastor had the option of going somewhere else. If not, then I believe she had the right to complain, but to management, not the wait staff. When I was growing up, tipping was always 10%. Then it went to 15%. Now 20%. It should be my choice on how much I tip (normally 15%) not an imposed fee by companies that refuse to pay decent wages. If I go out for a nice meal with my wife, it may cost $80 to $100. A $15 tip is reasonable for the (maybe) hour and a half I'm in the restaurant.