Were you aware of servers only making $2.15/hour and

I am totally aware of this. Serving was one of my first jobs. You can either make a ton of money on a busy day or nothing on a slow one. They tell you they're going to change your pay so you make at least minimum wage, but it's completely untrue and criminal.

I used to be a server at a family restaurant and it is hard!! Peole dont know what servers make and they dont realize that the tip matters to them. For some servers that tip could be putting food in their childs mouth or not! I was working my way through highschool and part of college. Its hard work, and sometimes with little pay! I found that some customers no matter how they were treated would only tip $1. Come on are you serious $1, thats ridiculous. Since I am no longer a server I have a lot of respect for them, I usualy tip at least $5 for just me! I love going out and seeing a server struggle and telling her look honey this job is not worth you stressing out over some stupid customer that doesnt care about you so just relax and it will all work out, some people tip good and others do not no matter how great their server is! Servers have all my respect as long as they are doing their job and doing it right!

I didn't know until I worked as a waitress some time ago. I was working graveyard shift and a lot of times tips were scarse since I worked during the week. I only worked there for a month. I just didn't make enough money to keep the job. We usually tip between 10-20%. The better the service, the most we tip. It depends on the waitress herself, though (or himself). They aren't to blame if the food is wrong (like the steak is rare and not well done) or if they are busy and it takes a while to get the order because the kitchen is backed up. It's how they handle the situation that matters.

I had no idea that was allowed. That is appalling, really, since tipping isn't automatically figured into the bill, is it? I will be travelling to the United States this summer and will find out what the situation is where I am visiting, as I expct we will eat out mre than a few times. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

I know, isn't it sad? I have a friend who is a single mom, and does not get any support from the father of the child. She works in a small town at a small town resturaunt where there are a lot of regulars. These people know that life as a waitress or waiter is a very low paying job, and most of them leave at least 30% of their ticket as a tip. Some do more, because they know how she struggles. But, yes I always leave a tip, and have been trying to teach my son to do this too. The same thing for our hair dresser, I really am not sure what their rate of pay is, but our hair dresser is very good and always tells us that if we are not satisfied come back and she will redo our hair. I think that people who rely on tips for their wages all should try to do a good job, it seems that the rewards would be better. I know that they also have to file paper work on the amount of tips that they have to claim. I used to work at Sonic, about 15 years ago, and I am pretty sure the pay was the same then. They should be able to raise servers wages like they do minimum wage, but it does not seem to happen. I would like to know the theory behind paying servers.

How wonderful of you to bring this up! I've spent many years as a waitress/server and cannot understand how people can expect to go out to eat, get waited on hand and foot and then not leave a decent tip. The "rule" used to be 15%, but a server rarely sees that these days. Waiting tables has always been considered a mindless job, I don't see why. The server has to memorize the whole menu, no matter how big or small, they have to take your order, whenever YOU are ready and do the same for several tables at the same time. They have to serve your food exactly the way you expect, as well as several other tables at the same time, keep your drinks full, and then in most cases they have to clean up after you, even when you have a child that is eating cheerios that you brought for them and throws them all over the floor. No to mention running around on those poor aching feet all day long, risking vericose veins and lots of other foot problems. When the restaurant closes, they have to mop the floor (or vacuum), make sure all the clean dishes are put away, clean the work area, roll silverware, and numerous other tedious things that you as a customer expect to be done once you enter the restaurant again. All for $2 -$3/hr. The servers in the world are so important. If you can afford to go out to eat, you can afford to tip. Most restaurants do not offer health insurance benefits, and servers have children too so they have to buy their own, which is always more expensive. If those servers did not exist, you would have no place to eat when you don't feel like cooking or cleaning up after yourself. Please tip your server well, at least 15%. If you can't figure that out, there is usually a calculator at every cashier desk in the restaurant. To all the servers in the world, GOD BLESS YOU!!!

Yeah i usually tip 15% of the bill but it also depends on the service they provide.

The tip is a bonus, not a salary. If i have possibility and if the server is carefull and kind-i will give her a tip with pleasure, satisfied of her good job.But if she accept my tip as something necesary and looks in my hands, this is at least a bad manier and i will NOT give her tip just because of this.

I am still getting use to "tipping" and often forget to. I'm not accustomed to doing it so I do try and make the effort. My husband says to tip from 10-15% of the bill so I make sure I do that or give a little more. If I get great service then they get a large tip at least $5 or more dollars. I hope that is right!

I have been aware of that for a long time. We too, have some relatives that are like your aunt. This couple demands lots of extra service, has the waitstaff running for this and that, griping all the time. When we are with them we leave a extra big tip, they complain, and we tell them we are paying their share as we know they are too cheap. Strange thing is---------they don't go out with us to eat very often anymore.

Normally in established retaurants all tips will go to a kitty and at the end of each month it will be distributed among the servers. For me whatever balance in coins after payment I will just leave it as tips to the waitress.

I always leave a tip. How much depends on how nice the server is. I leave anywhere between 10 - 20% of what I've spent. But, if I get bad service I don't leave anything.

Yes mamacathie. I always leave a tip. I usually tip between $1-$2. Just depends also if I have a daughter with me to have to add into the tip. Which then, I may leave a little more.

I am a waitress also I make 3.50 an hour but at the end of the night if we dont make enough tips to make 6.50 an hour the place i work pays us that. Did I say that right? I think you should tip unless the service was just down right really bad. Yes I do depend on my tips but there are some people who just wont leave a tip no matter what you do. I just go on to the next table and try to do the very best I can. I think everyone should have to wait tables at least once in there life to see how hard it really is and why they should leave something if nothing else just leave a dollar.

My mom used to be a stay at home mom and she worked at my grandmas resteraunt in the summer and thats how I knew of the wage that waitresses get. There are plusses and minuses that they get paid in tips, depending on the kind of people they get. The normal tip should be like 15 percent of the bill I'm pretty sure? I try to tip a little more than that around 20-25 percent.