How to Prevent being an SC

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Also, if someone bumped my nose and apologized, I'd be gracious about it.

If they didn't apologize, I'd let them know they did it.

If they did it again, I'd reciprocate. With my fist. Do it more than once, that's no accident. That's bordering on assault.

[Becks]

Waaaaaaaaaaaaay too many to quote, so I'll stick with a couple...

Honestly I think you handled it much better then I would have. If your friends had to point blank ask you if you wanted anything then she was a pretty shitty waitress. If she's bumping your nose because of how she positions herself, once I could see, twice = she's a pretty shitty waitress.

Oh, man, I don't think I would've been as nice as you. (Reddish hair, Irish temper...)

Tip? A couple of pennies.

After the harassment of the tip? NOT A DAMN THING.

Agree with all of this 100%. Emrid, you weren't an SC at all. Yes, I know waiters depend heavily on tips and I can appreciate that their jobs are taxing, but I'm not in the habit of tipping a person for being unfriendly (my standards for good service are not impossibly high, either. I barely even need a smile - I just expect service to be prompt, courteous and non-hostile!).

WMS said it all. My thoughts/feelings EXACTLY.

[tamezin]

Does anybody know why it's okay in the US to pay waitstaff less than minimum wage?

Tips are supposed to make up the difference between the paid salary and minimum wage. In most cases I believe restraunts must pay at least the state minimum wage which is generally substantially less than Federal minimum wage.

[rerant]

Here servers have to tip out the kitchen staff 2.5%.
If my server sucks more than anything that's what they get. That way they know that I know the drill. It's a bigger blow to them, I'd say.
And sure it's a massive SC move, but I know I'm not the only one who has experienced servers who didn't deserve a damn thing.
If you survive off tips then you better work for them.

[Nekojin]

I'm fairly sure that Andara and I have left a $1 tip on a $40 order once, because of atrociously bad service (not seeing the waitress for over 40 minutes in a place that's half-empty is bad, bad service in my book).

[blas]

See, when I was on my brief stint as a waitress, I made SURE to chit chat with the ladies sometimes moreso than the guys!

Girls always have this gut feeling that the waitress is hitting on their boyfriend or whomever guys are with them. So I felt at times I was unfair to the guys because I didn't want the girls attacking me....

[Emrld]

I appreciate the feedback.

To fill you in on what my friends did . . .they had her bring the manager over. None of us were going to call her out on her treatment of me. . .but when she commented about my small tip - that was too much for them. The manager was upset at my treatment and asked why I said nothing myself . . .they told him I was too classy to play her little game of who can be a bigger B#$%h. Apparently the waitress thought they would tip her more to make up for my small tip. She got a lesson on tipping and how to treat female customers.

This isn't the first time I have seen this . . .and sadly it is typically at places where the waitresses wear small uniforms. You know they call themselves family resturants or open to the public but really try to cater toward the Male Gender.

The sad thing for her - had I gotten true service - as in been acknowledged, not had my nose bumped etc. I would have tipped more than 15%

[wheresmysanity]

I agree 100%. If the waitress was able to give your friends (sitting at the same table, no less) nice service but not the same level of hospitality to you....that was deliberate. The fact you gave her any tip at all speaks of your maturity. I probably would've left her 2 cents. If that makes me an SC, then so be it. I paid to receive good service. Not to be a witness to it. If I wanted a show I would've gone to a dinner theatre.

Agree with all of this 100%. Emrid, you weren't an SC at all. Yes, I know waiters depend heavily on tips and I can appreciate that their jobs are taxing, but I'm not in the habit of tipping a person for being unfriendly (my standards for good service are not impossibly high, either. I barely even need a smile - I just expect service to be prompt, courteous and non-hostile!). I always treat others as I would want to be treated. If one can't meet the bare minimum of ACKNOWLEDGING me, then hell no, you are not getting tipped. So, $2 was generous of you, in my estimation.

Also, as someone else mentioned, your waitress sounded like a typical "I'm-a-woman-who-is-easily-threatened-by-other-women-and-so-I-hate-all-women". There's a reason why she was attending to the men - she probably thought she could milk a better tip from them. I can't stand these types. That sort of absurd behavior demanded a penalty too, if you ask me, so you ought to have given her the finger as you left.

[Barefootgirl]

I wouldn't have tipped her, personally. If she couldn't be bothered to even speak to me, why on earth would i bother to tip her?

[Sliceanddice]

if it had been me, i think my tip (and i would have only tipped her about 10% or less...) would have been the ONLY tip she got for our table.... none of my friends would have tipped a woman who was being so rude to me, even if i tipped her.
I would have given her a tip just because she did earn for not screwing up the order and at least being nice to my friends, but thats about all...

[MystyGlyttyr]

Hell, even as much as I, in general, despise humanity, even I could fake being nice long enough to bring someone a cup of coffee back when I was waitressing. Granted, I would go south really fast the instant there was any hint of snotty tone from the customer (and being at Waffle House, that was constant), but so long as the customer just treated me like a human being, I returned the favor, and I usually got decent tips off it. Not tremendous, but decent.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I kind of agree. It was probably sucky of me to stiff the woman (if that is what I did, I honestly don't remember). But trust me, she wasn't depending on a tip from me. Her behavior made that abundantly clear.

I do remember trying to be very nice to her. Sometimes, it's best to make sure the other person is the bad guy and that you get to remain guilt free. I know I didn't do anything to make this woman treat me like that. She started with the dirty looks the second I walked in. My order wasn't right, but no matter that, I was hungry. It was edible. I didn't really care. I'd been slogging around a mosquito infested marsh all day with 40 pounds strapped to my back. Whether my sandwitch was turkey or beef hardly mattered.

I was more bewildered than anything else. But like I said, it was really, really obvious and her attitude and service towards me was heinous. If I didn't tip, it was a first and last.

[JenCdn]

...if you are working in a job that you depend on tips, and make below minimum wage because of the tips, don't you think that you would not be a shitty waitress.

That is NOT being a SC, it's what you PAY FOR!!!

I agree 100%. If the waitress was able to give your friends (sitting at the same table, no less) nice service but not the same level of hospitality to you....that was deliberate. The fact you gave her any tip at all speaks of your maturity. I probably would've left her 2 cents. If that makes me an SC, then so be it. I paid to receive good service. Not to be a witness to it. If I wanted a show I would've gone to a dinner theatre.

[Crazeyal]

Whatever problem someone has personally, is supposed to be left at the door when you start work. Simply because we all come here and read horror stories of abusive people is no reason to allow oneself or fellows to be abused. That waitress would be standing alongside her manager, explaining herself if that was me.

There *IS* a point for righteous indignation, and that is when poor service turns into rudeness or abuse. When I *PAY* to get food, I DEMAND that I be acknowledged, spoken to politely, and SERVICED!!! No-one is asking for ass kissing or special attention, but I'll be DAMNED if I let empathy encourage someone to ignore or mistreat me! The food has to be hot/cold/fresh, that also means out in a reasonable time, and the employees should use common courtesy. That is NOT being a SC, it's what you PAY FOR!!!

[digilight]

Honestly I think you handled it much better then I would have. If you're friends had to point blank ask you if you wanted anything then she was a pretty shitty waitress. If she's bumping your nose because of how she positions herself, once I could see, twice = she's a pretty shitty waitress.

She sounds like a pretentious bitch who probably dislikes other women simply because they are women.

Granted it sucks to get a skimpy or no tip. But if you are working in a job that you depend on tips, and make below minimum wage because of the tips, don't you think that you would not be a shitty waitress. I'm probably gonna get my ass handed to me for that one, but I do believe it, the tip is a GRATUITY for good service. Things that the waitress has control over, things such as not being a bitch, actually taking your order, and not ignoring you. A tip shouldn't be automatic just because she brought you a drink, or you had to force her to serve you. If you stiff a waitress due to something outside of her control (speed of food coming out of the kitchen, having to wait for bartender to fix your drink, place is too cold/hot/etc), then you are a SC.

But a Good tip depends on good service, a bad/non tip depends on bad service (due to the waitress only).

I think you were overly generous with her myself.