For or Against Tipping - Fair Wage or Rely on Charity?

The article feed turned on from Article Marketer today, so it's been hectic with over 200 articles to review. Most of the new stuff is jobbing related (one author posted 38 articles in 30 minutes! I think he's spamming) anyway, I've picked this one out because "tipping" is often a controversial subject. It also brought back some fond memories from my boyhood.

Yep, Another Tall JackaStory Tale

Years and years ago, well 1964 to be precise, I was nominated to call on the "New Yanks" a wealthy couple from America whom had just moved into a huge house in our village (Broadway, Cotswolds, UK) they were supposed to be artists.

I had to offer them a chance to have a "Bob-a-Job".

Huh, nowadays that sort of offer has totally different connotations!

In 1964 "Bob-a-Job Week" was a means of raising funds for the local Cub Scout Troop. Each Cub was allocated a number of streets or avenues in the village to "work". Each job completed cost a "Bob", which is 5p in new money or around 15 cents in US Dollars.

It's difficult to believe now, but I was just 9 years old at the time.

Because I was a Cub Scout "Sixer" my allocated area was the Top High Street in Broadway where the most exclusive, expensive housing was situated and they probably still are.

The idea was to knock on each door two or three times and wait. If there was no answer, you were allowed by the Cub rules to knock once more. If there was still no answer, you had to move on.

If the householder did answer, we were coached to:
1. Smile
2. Say loudly, "BOB A JOB?"
3. Look the person straight in the eyes and smile again.

Most working class locals knew what Bob-a-Job was and quite cheerfully gave small jobs like sweeping leaves or weeding a little patch of their garden. They would then send you on your way with a "Bob". The Cub would then paste a sticker to their garden gate to alert other Cubs NOT to call again.

Often, people would pay a "Bob" just to get a sticker.

It was widely recognised that the "Nobs" (Nobles) living on the Top High Street were the most difficult to work for. Often, to earn a Bob would mean working all morning and then find the Nob had forgotten about you and payment was never received.

Now, the Yanks were THE hot topic of gossip in the village. They would cheerfully have a few pints with the local working class at the New Inn and then go on to have dinner with the local MP.

This was not the done thing at the time, and caused much angst.

With some trepidation I approached their door and gave the door knob (which I could only just reach) three hard raps, after a pause I knocked again. Once again there was no answer.

I turned to leave somewhat relieved when the door flew open and a female voice said, "Hi, how can we help you?"

True to my training, I turned, smiled and said "BOB A JOB" and then I looked up to get eye contact and then did my second smile.

They invited me in and gave me some milk and chocolate biscuits. They asked me a few questions about Bob-a-Job Week and seemed to think that my answers were very funny.

Eventually, I asked what job they wanted me to do. The man said, "Oh, no job, we'll GIVE you some money with pleasure". He reached into his pocket pulled out a note and gave it to me. I looked down and saw to my horror a FIVE POUND NOTE.

For those not familiar with Old Money:
One pound = 20 Shillings and the slang for a Shilling was a "BOB".

This meant that for drinking some milk and eating a few biscuits I'd earned the equivalent of 100 jobs.

When I got home and told my Mum about my good fortune, she nearly blew a gasket.

My Dads weekly wage at that time was just under £12 which included obligatory overtime.

There was never any question that ALL money collected would be given to the Cubs.

I realise now the thing that upset everyone was the "unfairness" of ME accepting such an overpayment. It was regarded as being dishonest and they were afraid I might be arrested by the village Bobby for taking advantage of the Yanks (I was NINE YEARS OLD).

Some how or another, my Mum and Dad found £4 19 shillings in change.

I was told to return the money.

When I went back to the house, the Yanks were surprised to see me return so quickly. I marched up to the man and handed him a large bag of assorted coins and said, "There's your change… It's a BOB A JOB… A FAIR JOB FOR A BOB"

They both looked astonished.

Years later I found out that the same couple had donated £500 to the local Scouts and Cubs the following day.

The article below triggered this tale in particular these statements:

In the United States, tips are used as an excuse to not pay you a living salary.

In the United States, count on a minimum wage everywhere where there isn't an exception to that law - such as so-called 'right-to-work' states where your wage will be well under minimum.
This is true precisely because of tips - in other countries tips are considered a gratuity on top of your salary, something extra.



So You Want to Be a Waitress

Well, if you're determined to pursue a waitress career, I'm certainly not going to stop you. So, just to make things easier, here's a combined assortment of tips for coming through the experience in one piece.

Some skills to survive in the waitressing game, you need many skills that will help you during your time working on the food chain. These include, but are not limited to:

Lying: You take an order from customers and spend the next half hour serving other people in your section. Then you realize - whoops, you forgot to give the order to the kitchen! What do you do? First, tell the customers there was a slip-up in the kitchen. Make vague references to the hassled chef - they're always so busy, you know! Promise it will be out soon. Give the order to the kitchen with the express direction to make the meal ASAP because it's for two heart surgeons on their lunch break. Situation averted, and you're cool.

Look busy at all times: Follow the George Costanza school of business and always look kind of annoyed and walk with a purpose. This works to put customers off-balance as you can get away with a lot more when a customer can clearly see you've run your feet off. And if you spend your free time doing menial tasks such as folding napkins and restocking the toothpick dispenser you won't get asked to carry the plates to the kitchen or do the washing up. The boss sees that you're using your initiative.

Suggest Sir or Madam tries the bread or a salad with their meal: If practiced often in a clear and ringing tone, your boss will notice that you're up-selling the product. Good for you, you might get a raise or promotion. Plus the customers will be impressed by your superior menu knowledge and great ideas and you may get a tip as a result. Nothing wrong with tips, are there?

Get the bill to the table as soon as possible: The reason being that you want a tip included. Instead of letting the customer make their way to the register before getting the bill, take it to them.

There are three things which may occur: Either they will leave an amount of money with the bill which is a little over the requested price, but they don't bother waiting for the change so you can pocket it. Or they put some money with the bill then wait for their change at the table, giving them ample time to think about telling you how much of the change is yours to keep. And some will take the bill to the counter anyway. This is the worst choice as people will often forget they're in a restaurant and think they're just in a normal shop. Oh, well, you can't win them all, and some people wouldn't tip if their life depended on it.

No matter what, be polite: This will make you look like a saint and everyone who barks at you will appear mean-hearted and crazy.

General Advice
In the United States, count on a minimum wage everywhere where there isn't an exception to that law - such as so-called 'right-to-work' states where your wage will be well under minimum.

This is true precisely because of tips - in other countries tips are considered a gratuity on top of your salary, something extra.

In the United States, tips are used as an excuse to not pay you a living salary.

Sadly, many customers don't realize the fact that when they don't tip you, you're working virtually for free. Weekends and evenings are the best times. Always try to find someplace which gets a lot of business at least at certain times - collage areas, conventions and travel destinations, in a hotel or casino, near a sports stadium, and so on.

Never skip working on a Holiday if your restaurant's open that day - Holidays are your most profitable time. Your shift is likely to consist of lingering periods of inactivity punctuated by rushed times when you can barely keep up.

The ideal schedule for a table is five visits at minimum. First you greet and perhaps seat them if there isn't a hostess. Next, immediately bring menus, and ask initially if they'd like a beverage or would perhaps order right now. If they're regular customers they may already have an idea what they want. Next return to take their order. Then of course bring their food. Check once about five to ten minutes into the meal to see if they need anything else. Then at last bring them their bill and close your interaction. Add more visits depending on whether you have to refill a beverage or check every ten minutes to see if they're ready to order.

Tailor your service to the customer.

The only way you'll get good at this is by learning body language. When you recognize a business person rushing in at lunchtime who is obviously in a hurry, cut out as many steps and be as efficient as possible. When you recognize a couple on a date, give them some time alone and intrude at the minimum; possibly suggest a single dessert to share. Stay and chat an extra minute with a lone diner who's not in a hurry if you have the time. When a lone diner arrives with a book, however, give them time to themselves; nobody who brings a book to dinner is ever in a hurry.

Jump to serve a large party or family, and be extra warm and personal; large parties tip the best since they're likely to be having a festive time with all the company.

Good luck with your job.

Whether you're waitressing to support yourself through school, just trying to work off your credit bills or you've got nowhere else to go, it's a career move which is interesting. Like cab driving, it will teach you about people, and you'll meet the most interesting varieties of them.

Article Republished From: Liberated Press Releases and Other FREE Information a web site that DOESN'T use Google Adspam (Adsense text links) in or around articles.

Author Resource:- Freelance writer for over eleven years. Waitress Aprons Restaurant Uniforms Medical Uniforms


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