View Poll Results: Fair or Unfair

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70. This poll is closed
  • Fair

    52 74.29%
  • Unfair

    18 25.71%
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  1. #1

    So, I started some stuff at work today..

    In reality, I think I blew a lot of people's minds.

    I work as a Sous Chef in a decent Steakhouse. Today, for some reason, the servers decided it was "Slam the Kitchen, at the same time, with family meals night."

    My cooks were ready to go home, I had a rough day, and the servers made some super bank. A lot of them make as much as I do. They just hit me at the wrong time, I guess. Though, decided after an argument ensued that all servers MUST tip the Cook for their meals. Otherwise they cook it themselves.

    All hell broke lose.

    Basically how it started, my Lead Cook was breaking down for the weekend, which is Monday & Tuesday. The Kitchen was "closed", The Lead asked if anymore orders were coming in BEFORE he started breaking down. So he started cleaning, Family Meals start rolling in, and he was oblivious. In the walk-in cooler mopping the floor, that I told him to do. I was in the office writing my report for the Sous Chef opening on Wednesday.

    From what snippets I heard, one of the servers started bitching about the time it was taking for his meal, when found out no one was cooking it, flipped a lid. Stormed into the office bitching, saying he needed to go home now, and blah blah, about his home life and he is PAYING for his food. So he expects it to be done in a timely manner.

    I guess one of the other servers then told my Lead about the bitchfest. Then next thing I know, He is in the office nose to nose with the server. So I break it up, after some pulling apart, and send them off into their respective corners.

    So I had some thinking to do, and the only thing I could see is this:

    The server is right, he is a paying customer. He was in a hurry and needed to leave after his shift. I understand. Though, could only see a bitchy ass person the whole time. The server complains about "short tips" all the time, complains he is a "great" server and all. Constantly complains about the job, the customers, the cooks, the weather, and his sandy vagina, if you get what I mean. Dude is always "something is wrong" kind of person.

    My cooks have faults for sure, but mostly don't say a word about the job they do. They make a hell of a less than the servers. Nature of the job.

    So, I could only make it even, and explain it this way. "X server is right, yet. The servers here do not compensate the Cooks for the hard work they put out for the servers. The cooks are your servers in the Kitchen, they cook and serve you in the back. Since you paid and the Cooks provide a service. From now on, you tip them 15% of the meal. It will go into a jar. Every so often, I will take them to competition restaurants to scope out the scene out of the tip jar. Any left over or if none is spent, it will be split at the end of the month amongst the Cooks."

    "Just understand it like this, How about Lead Cook comes in to eat on his day off. You provide him with awesome service, but he doesn't tip you. How would you feel?" Just says Thanks! Awesome! Great! or whatever and rub on the head, or pat on the back and walks out the door."


    I just watched a few brains fizzle amongst the servers. They said they are going to the Owner about it. Claiming unfair and what not, but I admit I am biased about my guys and I try to look out for them as much as possible.

    I just want to see whatever y'all think.

    Fair or Unfair?

  2. #2
    Brewmaster
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    Fair. Nothing more to say from my part.

  3. #3
    Are the servers paid the same way as the cooks or do they rely on tips to make up the difference?

    And personally, I'd rather sit in the back and cook shit than have to deal with crazy motherfuckers.

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Bergtau View Post
    Are the servers paid the same way as the cooks or do they rely on tips to make up the difference?

    And personally, I'd rather sit in the back and cook shit than have to deal with crazy motherfuckers.
    Servers mostly rely on tips. Though to compensate for the lack of hourly pay, they are only required to do 10% side work. Most never step outside of what they "have to do". So in reality, they get paid for what they do, which is serve. While not the most stable of incomes, over the years, we have averaged that servers make roughly 15-18$ an hour, yearly. Depending on the server, and this is with the full timers. The Weekend Warriors make even more on the average, as they are only there for the busiest of times.

    As a Chef, I have to do both sides of the line. I have to deal with Servers and I run the pass. I have to deal with customer complaints directly. Most servers get paid as much as I do. While the cooks, they have it rough, even after going to Culinary School, most only make 10$ an hour. While my Leads make 13$ and hour.

    Gotta look at the Restaurant like a Car, the Servers are the drive train and the Kitchen is the motor. You can argue that both are equally important in making the vehicle move. Yet, you when you have 1500$ rims on a 300$ motor, I believe the priorities are skewed a bit.

    It's the Nature of the beast, like I said, I am a bit biased. I know what the Servers have to do and I know what the cooks have to do. I believe the Cooks have it rougher. And if the Servers don't appreciate that, then maybe they need to take a step back. Even if it doesn't stick, I hope I drive home a bit of a lesson.

    Don't fuck with the people that make your food.

  5. #5
    servers get paid below the minimum wage to compensate for the tips - tips that they also have to lawfully pay taxes on. i don't have a problem with cooks getting tips, but i don't think it should be in the job description of the servers to tip the cooks. unfair.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by nolliepop View Post
    servers get paid below the minimum wage to compensate for the tips - tips that they also have to lawfully pay taxes on. i don't have a problem with cooks getting tips, but i don't think it should be in the job description of the servers to tip the cooks. unfair.
    Only for the meals they cook for the servers. Not for the night, that would be unfair.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Jokerfiend View Post
    Only for the meals they cook for the servers. Not for the night, that would be unfair.
    oh i read it as the night, not the food for the servers to have for themselves. i think that's fair.

  8. #8
    The Lightbringer Mandible's Avatar
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    All in all seems fair enough if it means the server learns to stop complaining so much. But tbh if you haven't dealt with customers it really is something that will make you irritable.
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  9. #9
    Herald of the Titans Kuniku's Avatar
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    I realise that its not quite the same, as servers often have a lower wage than say the people in the kitchen, and their tips make up the difference.

    BUT this does remind me of a chat I had with my line manager after work last week. We got onto the topic of Bonus' as I fought out that one of the branch managers earns more than my yearly salery in bonus' each year. Basically its only the Contracts Managers, Service Managers and Branch Managers who get bonus' - the people who 'bring the money in' basically.

    Non of the office staff, the engineers or us folk in the drawing office see any bonus', sure we don't bring the money in, and a lot of our work isn't based off targets so its hard to tell if we exceeded our goals etc.

    BUT the people that do get bonus' wouldn't be able to do their job without the people backing them (or in the case in hand the servers wouldn't get their tips without the kitchen staff backing them.)

    My line manager (who also doesnt't get a bonus) suggested that the people who DO get bonus' should perhaps share it with the staff behind them - to which I countered with the fact most people are going to be too selfish for that.

    My suggestion was to cut all of the current bonus' (roughly in half perhaps) and then introduce a second bonus scheme based on percentages. so to do this for the resteraunt: all of the tips come in, half goes into the kitty, the server keeps the other half. at the end of the month the kitty is counted. and then split between all of the staff, with each person getting a percentage based on the job they do. So the manager might take home a 10% share, the head chef and head server (making up roles here) might take home a 5% share each, all the servers might take home a 3% share and all the regular kitchen staff maybe 2.5% and then the lowly clearning staff 1%.

    All numbers are very vague, and based on a large-ish number of staff, but basically split the 100% up into shares so that all of it is dished out. The servers might lose out a bit, and the 'tips' the other staff get might not be huge, BUT they will appreciate the token gesture, and they WILL work harder to put more money in the kitty, which in turn will no doubt get more tips. The chefs will cook better, and be more attentive, the servers will put on an extra smile and the cleaners will clean erm betterer ^_^

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Kipling View Post
    snip
    I like the idea, it's just hard to quantify, who does what in a percentage without getting into extreme biases. I am one to say, I have a lot to do as a Chef, but working the line is far more demanding. Responsibility is a great burden. Great as in wonderful. And wouldn't take a dime from the line nor the servers.

  11. #11
    The Lightbringer inboundpaper's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kipling View Post
    [Big Story Here}
    Sounds like Panda Express, my manager got a bonus for over half what I make in a year last month.
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  12. #12
    Deleted
    Pay your servers minimum wage, add that tipping is not required on your menu, anyone that still tips add them to a big fund then split it equally between everyone at the end of the night.

  13. #13
    Merely a Setback Reeve's Avatar
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    Makes reasonable sense to me. I used to be a floor manager at a restaurant, and we always gave a portion of the tips to the cooks, the bussers, etc.
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  14. #14
    The Insane Kathandira's Avatar
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    I was a waiter for 7 years. In that 7 years I was a prep cook, a host, a bartender, a busser and I helped keep the inventory list as well as waiting my tables.

    I would have happily tipped my cooks for my shift meal. Those guys work twice the hours for 1/2 the money. They deserve to be treated with respect and deserve to be taken care of anytime you can.

    If any cook ever asked me to do something for them, I did it without batting an eyelash.

  15. #15
    I am Murloc! Roose's Avatar
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    Restaurants are fucking crazy. How any operate smoothly is a miracle.

    Servers are the whiniest bitches of all service positions I have ever encountered. Most have no idea how to actually work. Most could not handle half a shift in the kitchen.

    I would not impose any forced "tipping" of cooks. I would have a tip jar for cooks and I would advise my servers to tip them if they help them bring in more money than usual. If they cook food that gets you extra cash, spread it around a little. Cooks do not care to rely on tips or they would not be cooks. All they want is appreciation for the hard work they do. The cooks would see what servers tip them and get the best service from the cooks. Those that do not tip may find their other tips going down as well due to slower cook times and not as much effort spent on their food.

    All if this is solved if we pay workers what they actually deserve. That is a far more complicated matter that may require a revolution. Easier to just make everyone work every job at least once. Open some eyes. I bet CEOs would treat all workers better, and servers would finally realize that they are pretty insignificant in the bigger picture of the restaurant.
    Last edited by Roose; 2013-03-25 at 02:20 PM.
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  16. #16
    Mechagnome
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    i used to work in a pub, all tips went into a jar and were evenly distributed between servers, bar staff and cooks. they all play there part in getting the food out, so why would you not do this?

  17. #17
    So... Ultimately what you've done is made efforts to force a divide between two groups working under a shared roof? What could possibly go wrong? You know, aside from a loud peak hour walk out on your busiest night, resulting in tremendous damage to the business name? I guess it'd give the chefs an opportunity to try their hand at service, so maybe then they could earn those tips...

  18. #18
    I don't understand how massive tips at high end places could be justified entirely for someone who only moves the food from point A to point B.

  19. #19
    I am Murloc! Roose's Avatar
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    I personally hate the tipping system. Everywhere. I do tip, but really because I feel obligated. I would rather employers actually paid their employees out of what I pay them. Add my tip in for all I care. It just better all be going to the employee.

    Servers are not required to run a restaurant. Many think they are.
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  20. #20
    Merely a Setback Reeve's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rukentuts View Post
    I don't understand how massive tips at high end places could be justified entirely for someone who only moves the food from point A to point B.
    There's a little more to the job than moving food from point A to point B, but yeah, they should be tipping out to the other people who make what they do possible. I've never known any servers who didn't. Often many of them tip out a little more than they're required to for the people who have been most helpful to them. It's good when you want your tables cleared really quickly in the middle of a rush or something.
    'Twas a cutlass swipe or an ounce of lead
    Or a yawing hole in a battered head
    And the scuppers clogged with rotting red
    And there they lay I damn me eyes
    All lookouts clapped on Paradise
    All souls bound just contrarywise, yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!

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