Saltgrass Waiter Stiffed on Tip, Got a Racist Note Instead

Not for that reason, that is pretty silly, but... I don't tip at any restaurant I go to either, and the reason why is: If a restaurant hires people to work for them and do a good j0b in order to promote customers to return to that location, then the restaurant needs to pay and reward that employee for doing a good job. There is absolutely no reason whatsoever that restaurants can't pay an employee $12.00 per hour and more if they excel in their job. This case in particular, the bill came to $108.73. It took that group probably 1 hour to come in, order, eat and leave. Paying that employee $12.00 per hour would mean that 1 ticket still made the restaurant $96.73, more than enough to pay for the items used in that meal and to pay a cook to prepare it. And that is on that one ticket only. That employee probably had 5 or 6 other tables that he was attending, all on that $12.00 per hour, which would make all those tables he's waiting on make even more money for the restaurant. It's not my job to pay for a meal and then pay that person's wages to wait on me for the hour he spends with me.

You clearly have no idea how the restaurant business works nor have ever worked in a restaurant nor know anyone that has. Let me start by saying it's a somewhat broken system but it's what we have and ALL restaurants follow the same pattern. Low wages but the staff rely on tips to compensate, pretty much like car salesmen where they are paid the minimum but hope to boost that through sales commission.

If you think for one second that your meal price would stay even remotely the same if they paid the staff $12 an hour then you are more dingy than your name suggests. By not tipping anything when you know full well that the staff isn't getting paid but a couple bucks an hour then you are basically shooting them the finger and you can be pretty sure in the fact that they can and will remember you so expect some "special service" to your food in the kitchen next time....

I tip when I go into restaurants, but only because it is expected.

But acting like restaurant industry workers are these poor innocent downtrodden people who depend on tips to survive isn't exactly intellectually honest either...by that I mean, most servers and waitresses don't report 100% of their tips. Tax free money for them. So while they often aren't making "as much" as other people with steadier jobs, they are often able to keep "more" of their own money instead of the tax man getting a hold of it.

which honestly, hey, good for them- the government takes too much in taxes already, but c'mon, why should they be able to do that when the rest of us can't?

People should understand that servers do not get paid by the employers (meaningfully), their only source of income is the tips. They are paid less than the (mickey mouse) minimum wage ($3 something) and this could be the only instance where an adult can be paid less than min. wage. People who do not tip, and not only that, who do not tip handsomely, should not go out to eat to places where there are servers. They should limit themselves to places where there is no tipping expected, fast food places, supermarkets, corner stores etc, or eat at home. Remember, there is (still) something called decency. Especially when you are in public. Disclaimer: Nobody in my immediate circle is or has ever been a server.

Is currently a paltry $2.13/hr. for any server who makes $30/ month in tips, which is most full time servers. The restaurants take full advantage of that and virtually none, if any, pay one penny above the minimum. Does anyone think they could pay their bills on $2.13/hr? Five days a week, 10 hour days works out to about $426/month. Still think waiters don't need your tips?
If the service is atrocious, don't leave much, or anything if it's really that bad, but let them know why. But if they do their best to make your meal a good experience, 15% is a good place to start. Exceptional service should be compensated accordingly as well, consider 20 or 30 percent.
If you can't afford to tip, you really shouldn't be eating at a full service establishment. Mickie D's is the place for you.....

Wow, Ding Bat, that is soooo noble of you to change the world by stiffing one waiter at a time. Do you suppose you are teaching any corporate structure or even local entrepreneur a lesson by making your waiter starve, of are you just making an excuse for being a cheapskate? I do agree with your premise, but that's just not the way it works and if you or anyone you know has ever worked in the food service industry, you would know how small the wages are for the type of service you undoubtedly expect and lodge complaints about when it doesn't measure up! Until the wage structure changes, play the game as the rules intend. Reward service when it's good, and find some more effective way to change the food service pay scale!!!!