It's okay - I'm a regular...

[TOLady]

Once again, DH and I are sitting at our local pub - no AC at home, so rather loathe to venture home until the evening turns cooler.

Beside us at the next table decides to sit a lady. Orders a 1/2 litre of wine (served in a carafe) whilst waiting for the friend she keeps phoning incessantly about asking where she is. Asks for wine to be served with ice cubes in the glass and keeps said carafe in a beer bucket (nothing wrong with that - keeps it cold and it's sweltering still in OFC - however I would never do it).

Friend arrives later and sits down and proceeds to order the server to:

"We want another half bottle of wine - however, we don't want it in a carafe, have the bartender pour the other half into a carafe and they can sell it to someone else. We want to have our wine in the bottle and fill up this beer bucket with more ice to keep everything cool."

As the server is trying to get her head around this concept and trying to explain that it is most likely not possible - the clincher - "I'm a regular here and I've owned restaurants - you would be best to do what I've asked you to do".

Okay - I'll say it again - I'm a regular and I've not seen you before and if you have to announce that, and that you've owned restaurants, you should know better than to ask for such crap.

Sadly - server did as requested, albeit, with a bit less than the full half bottle given (I love my bartendress - she's evil like that...).

BTW - that was more than 2 hours ago - and when I left, they were still there and were ordering more. They should have just bought the whole freakin' bottle the first time 'cause they ended up getting the 2nd half anyway with the single glasses they ordered afterwards!

[Exaspera]

BTW - that was more than 2 hours ago - and when I left, they were still there and were ordering more. They should have just bought the whole freakin' bottle the first time 'cause they ended up getting the 2nd half anyway with the single glasses they ordered afterwards!

And they probably paid more, too! Unless of course, they planned to leave no tip.

[TOLady]

Not to disparage any particular nationality, but I live in an area of the City which is full of EW of Eastern European background who tip very, very poorly, even though the houses in our area start at $750,000 (me - I've lived in the same apartment for 20 years and the landlord has yet to raise my rent more than twice in that time )

During the HUGE <insert Nationality> street festival that takes place in our area in late September over a 3 day period, the patio is packed from morning 'til close with the older area residents and their visitors enjoying the folkloric bands and entertainment in the bandshell that is set up just down the street, yet the servers will often walk out with less than $300 after a 12 hour shift. Most try to book it off rather than work so hard for so little return.

On an average day an other time of the year, they can clear that in a 6 hour shift on most of the regulars alone.

And yes - the ladies certainly paid more. 1 bottle of wine = $20, 1/2 litre is about $12.00, single glasses = $7.50.

[Rantsylvania 6-5000]

As the server is trying to get her head around this concept and trying to explain that it is most likely not possible - the clincher - "I'm a regular here and I've owned restaurants - you would be best to do what I've asked you to do".

Bitches! BITCHES!!! Ohhhhhh, I HATE people who pull that arrogant, air-of-superiority crap! I'm glad they ended up paying more for doing it their way!

[Ironclad Alibi]

... who tip very, very poorly ...

And yes - the ladies certainly paid more. 1 bottle of wine = $20, 1/2 litre is about $12.00, single glasses = $7.50.

Well, the result of not tipping is higher prices since management often has to make up for the lack of tips.

[Pony_Boy]

Well, the result of not tipping is higher prices since management often has to make up for the lack of tips.

How so? I'm sorry but I'm not following your logic

[Racket_Man]

How so? I'm sorry but I'm not following your logic

here in the US tipped servers make like $2.30 an hour with the expecation they will make enough tips to make up the difference between that wage and the Federal Minimum (or state wage if higher). BY law, if the server/delivery driver does NOT make enough tips to cover the difference, the EMPLOYER has to cover the difference as a labor expense. Employers loath to cover the difference.

also with most businesses, the LESS you buy the more expensive it is

for example buffalo wings
8 = $6.49 81 cents per wing (times 2 = 12.98 times 3 = 19.47)
14 = 9.99 71 cents per wing
22 = 14.99 68 cents per wing

I am not sure how it works north of the border but the tip wage thing in the US is nation wide.

[Pony_Boy]

I am not sure how it works north of the border but the tip wage thing in the US is nation wide.

Wow!! I never knew that. Now I understand why the debate on tipping is so fierce. I am shocked its legal to pay employees so little

I feel bad for ranting against tipping has a general practice.


As for how it works here, I'm not 100% sure. I believe that all employees have to at least get whatever the minimum wage is in their province. The tips would be over and above that amount

[Magpie]

Not in Ontario. They have to take home at least minimum wage, but minimum wage for tipped employees is less than for non-tipped ones. (Or it might just be for people who serve alcohol, I know that is a different one and I'm thinking there might only be two different minimum wages). They won't make less than $10.00/hr, but they might not make more, even with tips.

[Pony_Boy]

just looked it up. In Ontario the general minimum wage is $10.25/hour
For Liquor Servers its $8.90/hour

I dont know if the other provinces have similar legislation

[Magpie]

Ok, so I missed that it had gone up again . I'm exempt from minimum wage legislation, so I don't really notice.

[persephone]

Wow!! I never knew that. Now I understand why the debate on tipping is so fierce. I am shocked its legal to pay employees so little.

But ask pretty much any server and you'll get the same answer: While yes, the non-tippers SUCK, they wouldn't give up their low pay + tips for a flat wage for anything. You end up making much more, usually, than if you were paid a regular hourly wage.

What regular, hourly wage is going to let you walk with $150 after just one shift?

[Muses_nightmare]

I dont know if the other provinces have similar legislation

BC doesn't. Given our minimum wage is the lowest in the country at $8/h. I can't speak for any of the other provinces though.

Tips were nice when I was working at the casino making a little over $9/h. Like getting paycheque every week.

As for the OP, I hate people who claim they're regulars around people who actually are and have never seen them before. At least they ended up paying more.