There’s not any kind of deep philosophy to understand. It’s purely about what kind of city you want SF to be.
I hope this is the direction that we move. I am not a fan of our tipping culture and I think it has gotten out of hand. While giving someone a tip for going above and beyond is fine, it shouldn’t be part of your salary.
I think we made a mistake when we twisted that relationship by allowing servers to be paid only $2/hr, below min wage. This is a step to stop that practice and hopefully it will also be a step to reverse our tipping culture. IMHO
This is not to say what people should be making for a given job - but someone’s salary is between them and their employer. As the customer I am not your employer - if you don’t like what you’re making take it up with your boss.
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I agree in theory but having working in the restaurant industry as an employee and also as a self employed supplier of certain seafood products to restaurants, my experience has been that in general restaurant owners will not pay 1 cent more than they have to for a product or service. Haggling over 1/4 cent per pound was common place.
I remember 70 hr sub minimum wage work weeks for Greek & Turk kitchen staff in the 1970’s & my understanding is its the same today only the employees largely come from Mexico & South America.
I still think back end employees may benefit but many servers will take home significantly less money when it all shakes out.
Here’s a map showing prices per square foot near Bay Area transit stops. One of those “picture/thousand word” things.
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I find myself not amazed that you people haven’t worked through this and come to a consensus.
It’s simply amazing to me the energy that is put into these discussions.
Answer: tip what you want.
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Can we please kill this thread?
End of story .
Why must there be a consensus? We’re talking about a hypothetical situation and sharing ideas. You’re amazed “us people” on a food forum are spending energy discussing a restaurant-related topic?!! I don’t know what to tell you… Welcome to the Internet!
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I could just “like/fork” but I want to emphasize how correct I think your post is. It’s a dialogue, right?
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I think what he meant was that the consensus is the lack of consensus.
That’s tradition, handed down on stone tablets.
That is true for any industry really, not just for waiters or waitresses. If you work as a cashier, they also won’t pay you one more cent than they have to. So what makes waiters and waitresses in SF continue to receive tipping now that they are guarantee to have a minimum salary just like everyone? The idea of “tipping is a must” makes sense if the city has a “tip credit” (tip is counted toward calculating minimum wage) – so if they don’t get tip, they get below than minimum wage. However, SF is not a tip credit city. Waiters and waitresses get at least the minimum wage plus the tip, which put them in a much better position than many other professions.
It is fine to say this is still not a great lifestyle. That being said, again, there are many other professions earn less than waiters and waitresses, so the specific outrage for tipping waiters and waitresses seems “uneven”. No one here is arguing a tipping for their cashiers or movie theater ushers?
The whole “you are an ass if you don’t tip your waiters” seems a bit silly here. Can we also say “you are an ass if you don’t tip your supermarket cashiers or theater ushers?” They make less than your SF waiters.
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My wife and I worked in the business as young adults. It is physically demanding work and the hours are such that when everyone is out having fun (weekends) a server is likely working. My state (NJ) is tip credit so if the service is good we usually leave 20% minimum. Not required to, just our choice.
My point wasn’t on whether a person should tip or not tip. My point was that a good server in a good location could make 3 or 4 times $15.00 p/hr. and if a significant % of patrons stop tipping based on the increased minimum wage the server may end up making a lot less money.
Have to be careful with cashiers. Example: In NJ, most supermarket employees are union. They receive regular pay increases as well as step increases, receive medical coverage, employer funded pensions, paid vacation & often paid sick time. Most servers are per diem and receive none of the above.
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Tip if you want and how much you want. Slip an envelope at the holidays. It’s a personal choice.
I guess I’ve been on the internet long enough to know that these discussions change no one’s mind. Who cares. Do what you do. Let others do what they do. Don’t judge. Move on.
Fuck me.
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I’m sorry that’s how you’re ‘wired.’ My mind is open and enjoys the discussion.
A good point indeed. I also think many waiters and waitress earn far more than $15 per hour (due to tips). If a waiter only get paid at minimum salary without tip, then it is likely a step down. What I am thinking is that waiters and waitresses should simply fully compensated by the restaurants just like any other professions. They will get paid more than $15 per hour.
The problem is a classic chicken or the egg. If tip is always expected, then the salary will never fully reflect the true compensation. If a wait staff salary is always too low, then tipping is always required. On and on a giant circle.
To the original poster’s point, it wasn’t so much about completely stopping tipping, but rather can the % of tipping goes down.
Just this.
Yes of course my mind is closed.
If this thread veers completely off-topic yet again, can it be moved elsewhere?
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I’m not in charge of such things! 
I do think it’s hard to separate the overall cost of living in the SFBA when discussing tipping.
