Business, Economics, and Taxes: Capitalism. Yay? >=(

[aparch]

Re: Business, Economics, and Taxes: Capitalism. Yay? >=(

The chef gets paid a living wage. The server gets the absolute legal minimum.
Also, the chef is batch processing. The server is giving you personal attention.
Also, the chef has a more in demand skill and has other options if a better job comes along.
Also, the server is on their feet all day and dealing with as-shole customers who are looking for excuses not to tip because hey what did they do?

Unfortunately, some restaurants (mostly the shi**y chain ones, and also some fancy ones which are ran by shi**y owners/managers) also make the servers pool their tips and split them with the kitchen staff, despite paying the chefs better because, hey, capitalism, let the customers pay the wages of the waitresses.

I've always tipped well (not as well as you, but better than the average) because my wife got through college and the first few years out of college as a waitress. I do try to tip cash, because if it's a totally shi**y night where the waitress would get fu**ed on her hours, she can just "forget" about reporting some of the cash. For those who don't know, (and I am unfamiliar with other states handling of it), Michigan's laws are written so that:

The Michigan minimum wage is currently $9.45 per hour. Waiters and waitresses are entitled to receive at least that much for every hour worked. However, restaurants can take a “tip credit” of up to $5.86 per hour, meaning they only pay the servers a cash wage of $3.59 per hour.

Since employees are entitled to the greater protection available, this means that waiters and waitresses in Michigan are entitled to be paid at least $3.59 per hour by restaurants, with restaurants using a “tip credit” of $5.86. If restaurants do rely on a “tip credit” of $5.86 per hour to justify paying servers $3.59, they must also keep track of tips to make sure that employees are receiving enough in tips that they are making at least minimum wage for all hours worked. If a server doesn’t reach the minimum wage amount by adding in the tips, then the employer must pay that difference to get the server up to minimum wage.
https://www.goldstarlaw.com/is-a-waiter-or-waitress-exempt-from-minimum-wage-and-overtime/

It appears a good portion of states are the same. What absolutely floors me is that the minimum threshold to screw tipped staff is $30 in tips... MONTHLY.
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/minimum-wage/tipped

[The Rube]

Re: Business, Economics, and Taxes: Capitalism. Yay? >=(

From what I recall, servers only pool tips with the busboys, not the kitchen staff. For bars, it's pooled with barbacks.

[LynahFan]

What did that server do to earn $20 that the chef who actually cooked, assembled, and plated the burger didn't?

Do you refrain from fishing because you won’t catch all of the fish?

Do whatcha can with whatcha got.

[MissThundercat]

Re: Business, Economics, and Taxes: Capitalism. Yay? >=(

This morning, I made $62 alone, and someone went back and added a $5 tip. Made over $120 yesterday. If I can stay out long enough tonight, I can probably make another $70-ish. This has gone from "coffee and wine" money to "holy sh-t, I can pay my bills" money. And I was told if I drove in Grand Rapids, I can make even more money.

On the bright side, it's low impact (I'm not on my feet all the time) and people are being nice to me, so I'm going to ride this out.

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Business, Economics, and Taxes: Capitalism. Yay? >=(

This morning, I made $62 alone, and someone went back and added a $5 tip. Made over $120 yesterday. If I can stay out long enough tonight, I can probably make another $70-ish. This has gone from "coffee and wine" money to "holy sh-t, I can pay my bills" money. And I was told if I drove in Grand Rapids, I can make even more money.

On the bright side, it's low impact (I'm not on my feet all the time) and people are being nice to me, so I'm going to ride this out.

Good to hear.

[Handyman]

Re: Business, Economics, and Taxes: Capitalism. Yay? >=(

You should absolutely take advantage while you can. It will never be more profitable to do it than it is during the Pandemic.

Just be safe out there...

[Spartanforlife4]

Re: Business, Economics, and Taxes: Capitalism. Yay? >=(

I was at a brewery last year and one of the bartenders had one of those "Ask me!" buttons with something else that looked like Fight For 15. So, we followed the button's directions and asked. She said it was actually a group that was against Fight For 15 because she felt she would make less money if she went to a wage rather than tips only. It was an interesting perspective, and certainly made sense that night, because it was packed on a beautiful summer Saturday night. Then I thought about those weeknights in January when there's no one coming in. However, I suppose at that point minimum wage is kicking in so they're still getting $9.25 or whatever it may be in their state, not like they're sitting around making $0 if the tips don't add up.

Anyway, it was interesting because you don't hear too often about opponents within the working class level of the industry.

[Handyman]

Re: Business, Economics, and Taxes: Capitalism. Yay? >=(

I do...it always kind of shocks me when they say it but it is a larger number than you would think. There are factors behind it though that if you arent part of the service industry you might not get.

[mookie1995]

This morning, I made $62 alone, and someone went back and added a $5 tip. Made over $120 yesterday. If I can stay out long enough tonight, I can probably make another $70-ish. This has gone from "coffee and wine" money to "holy sh-t, I can pay my bills" money. And I was told if I drove in Grand Rapids, I can make even more money.

On the bright side, it's low impact (I'm not on my feet all the time) and people are being nice to me, so I'm going to ride this out.

[The Rube]

Re: Business, Economics, and Taxes: Capitalism. Yay? >=(

I was at a brewery last year and one of the bartenders had one of those "Ask me!" buttons with something else that looked like Fight For 15. So, we followed the button's directions and asked. She said it was actually a group that was against Fight For 15 because she felt she would make less money if she went to a wage rather than tips only. It was an interesting perspective, and certainly made sense that night, because it was packed on a beautiful summer Saturday night. Then I thought about those weeknights in January when there's no one coming in. However, I suppose at that point minimum wage is kicking in so they're still getting $9.25 or whatever it may be in their state, not like they're sitting around making $0 if the tips don't add up.

Anyway, it was interesting because you don't hear too often about opponents within the working class level of the industry.

They probably would. I remember one of the beertenders I know at my local brewery, and she makes $200 in tips on a good shift. That's one shift.

[Spartanforlife4]

Re: Business, Economics, and Taxes: Capitalism. Yay? >=(

This morning, I made $62 alone, and someone went back and added a $5 tip. Made over $120 yesterday. If I can stay out long enough tonight, I can probably make another $70-ish. This has gone from "coffee and wine" money to "holy sh-t, I can pay my bills" money. And I was told if I drove in Grand Rapids, I can make even more money.

On the bright side, it's low impact (I'm not on my feet all the time) and people are being nice to me, so I'm going to ride this out.

There was a story I read this morning that I can't seem to find now, but it talked about how Metro Detroit is seeing wait times of up to two weeks to get a slot for grocery delivery. One woman finally got a slot a week out by waking up at 4am.

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Business, Economics, and Taxes: Capitalism. Yay? >=(

There was a story I read this morning that I can't seem to find now, but it talked about how Metro Detroit is seeing wait times of up to two weeks to get a slot for grocery delivery. One woman finally got a slot a week out by waking up at 4am.

It's ridiculous. I gave up on delivery, I'm down to going out once per week, and I have to choose which store based on what items I want/need that week. And good luck getting any paper products, it's been what - 4 or 5 weeks since that first run on TP, paper towels, and wipes? None to be found, still. Talk about supply chain failure.

[The Rube]

Re: Business, Economics, and Taxes: Capitalism. Yay? >=(

It's ridiculous. I gave up on delivery, I'm down to going out once per week, and I have to choose which store based on what items I want/need that week. And good luck getting any paper products, it's been what - 4 or 5 weeks since that first run on TP, paper towels, and wipes? None to be found, still. Talk about supply chain failure.

My company just got 52 pallets of paper product in on Thu, put into stock overnight. Shipped over half of it out on Fri, mostly to Amazon and hospitals/care centers/etc. We are still running at about 5% of normal inventory on those types of things. The actual companies that make the paper products are running pretty much 24/7. Also, there are differences between commercial and personal use, and the companies can't just switch over from one to the other.

[SJHovey]

It's ridiculous. I gave up on delivery, I'm down to going out once per week, and I have to choose which store based on what items I want/need that week. And good luck getting any paper products, it's been what - 4 or 5 weeks since that first run on TP, paper towels, and wipes? None to be found, still. Talk about supply chain failure.

I went this morning. Really busy but the store was fully stocked. Even shelves more than half full of TP. The store made all the aisles “one way” which was ok, but people were still passing one another.

[Handyman]

Re: Business, Economics, and Taxes: Capitalism. Yay? >=(

Yeah I see TP pretty much anywhere I go right now. Of course I dont need any because I am not a psychopath with explosive diarrhea but whatever