WWTBAM Bored

Yesterday, on my way to lunch, I passed a homeless guy who was holding a sign that read "Vote Obama, I need the money."

In the restaurant, my waiter was wearing an "Obama '08" tee shirt.

When the bill came, I decided not to tip the waiter. I explained to him that while he had given me exceptional service, his tee shirt made me think that he obviously agrees with Senator Obama's ideas about redistributing wealth to those in greater need. I told him I was going to honor his wishes by redistributing his tip to someone that I deemed to be in greater need.......... the homeless guy outside. The waiter stood there in disbelief and angrily stormed away.

I went outside, gave the homeless guy $3, and told him to thank the waiter inside, as I had decided that he needed the money more. The homeless guy looked at me in disbelief but seemed grateful.

As I got in my truck, I realized this rather unscientific redistribution experiment had left the homeless guy quite happy for the money he did not earn, but the waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he did earn.

I guess this redistribution of wealth business will take a while to catch on, at least, with those doing the work.

rec, rec, a million times, rec.


t.

wintergreen is funny.

[And that's funny with a smile and not funny peculiar. I wanted to make myself perfectly clear on that.]

mellytu74 wrote:wintergreen is funny.

[And that's funny with a smile and not funny peculiar. I wanted to make myself perfectly clear on that.]

Yep, Wintergreen would never stiff a waiter like that. Thanks for being who you are, Wintergreen.

wintergreen48 wrote:As I got in my truck, I realized this rather unscientific redistribution experiment had left the homeless guy quite happy for the money he did not earn, but the waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he did earn.

And it left you with one less restaurant where your business will be welcome in the future. If you do return, be sure to check your burger for excess saliva and floor sweepings.

I don't know if this anecdote had any true plot elements that you would swear to under oath, or if it was a pure fable, in the tradition of Aesop. If the latter, I think you should rewrite it so the tip money could only be used to buy the homeless guy a meal from the same waiter.

wintergreen48 wrote:Yesterday, on my way to lunch, I passed a homeless guy who was holding a sign that read "Vote Obama, I need the money."

In the restaurant, my waiter was wearing an "Obama '08" tee shirt.

When the bill came, I decided not to tip the waiter. I explained to him that while he had given me exceptional service, his tee shirt made me think that he obviously agrees with Senator Obama's ideas about redistributing wealth to those in greater need. I told him I was going to honor his wishes by redistributing his tip to someone that I deemed to be in greater need.......... the homeless guy outside. The waiter stood there in disbelief and angrily stormed away.

I went outside, gave the homeless guy $3, and told him to thank the waiter inside, as I had decided that he needed the money more. The homeless guy looked at me in disbelief but seemed grateful.

As I got in my truck, I realized this rather unscientific redistribution experiment had left the homeless guy quite happy for the money he did not earn, but the waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he did earn.

I guess this redistribution of wealth business will take a while to catch on, at least, with those doing the work.

Hey WG did you post this elsewhere on the net, or copy it from somewhere? I'm trying to remember where else I saw it.

TheConfessor wrote:

wintergreen48 wrote:As I got in my truck, I realized this rather unscientific redistribution experiment had left the homeless guy quite happy for the money he did not earn, but the waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he did earn.

And it left you with one less restaurant where your business will be welcome in the future. If you do return, be sure to check your burger for excess saliva and floor sweepings.

I don't know if this anecdote had any true plot elements that you would swear to under oath, or if it was a pure fable, in the tradition of Aesop. If the latter, I think you should rewrite it so the tip money could only be used to buy the homeless guy a meal from the same waiter.

You don't understand. The tip will not buy a meal, but only 1/10 of one. So the homeless guy goes to taco truck to get food. And he is still mad that Wintergreen eats better than him.

BackInTex wrote:

TheConfessor wrote:

wintergreen48 wrote:As I got in my truck, I realized this rather unscientific redistribution experiment had left the homeless guy quite happy for the money he did not earn, but the waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he did earn.

And it left you with one less restaurant where your business will be welcome in the future. If you do return, be sure to check your burger for excess saliva and floor sweepings.

I don't know if this anecdote had any true plot elements that you would swear to under oath, or if it was a pure fable, in the tradition of Aesop. If the latter, I think you should rewrite it so the tip money could only be used to buy the homeless guy a meal from the same waiter.

You don't understand. The tip will not buy a meal, but only 1/10 of one. So the homeless guy goes to taco truck to get food. And he is still mad that Wintergreen eats better than him.

Actually, a 20% tip on the price of five meals will buy one meal of equal value. Are you accusing Wintergreen of being a cheapskate 10% tipper, or are you saying that he doesn't have four friends?

TheConfessor wrote: Actually, a 20% tip on the price of five meals will buy one meal of equal value. Are you accusing Wintergreen of being a cheapskate 10% tipper, or are you saying that he doesn't have four friends?

I'm assuming Wintergreen is generous and tips based on service, but has a minimum of 10%. Since the waiter was wearing an Obama shirt, I would assume service just good enough to be acceptable. And that to further share/spread the wealth, Wintergreen's freinds gave their tip money to the other homeless guys.

Part of good service is providing a pleasant dining experience. Being forced to look at an Obama button while I'm trying to digest my meal is not conducive to a pleasant dining experience. It's times like these that I'm glad I still have a few pennies in my change to reward this level of service.

I was a waiter. I made $2.13 an hour. I was on the receiving end of the tax breaks.

Now I'm in the bracket that's on the giving end. And I'm not bitching about what I pay because what is left is still a lot. It's not so much "spread the wealth" as "make sure those who can pay are paying" and "ease up a bit on those who make less."

But that's too long for a sound bite. I don't think in sound bites.

silverscreenselect wrote:Part of good service is providing a pleasant dining experience. Being forced to look at an Obama button while I'm trying to digest my meal is not conducive to a pleasant dining experience. It's times like these that I'm glad I still have a few pennies in my change to reward this level of service.

And we all remember what a great tipper you are, SSS!

FWIW, I have always loathed tipping. Pay your damn service people a real wage and add the extra cost to my bill. Don't pass the onus to pay your people on to me, dammit! It is a pain in the ass......

lb13

Cue Hot Lips: You have the most to lose? It's because you have the most!

littlebeast13 wrote:

silverscreenselect wrote:Part of good service is providing a pleasant dining experience. Being forced to look at an Obama button while I'm trying to digest my meal is not conducive to a pleasant dining experience. It's times like these that I'm glad I still have a few pennies in my change to reward this level of service.

And we all remember what a great tipper you are, SSS!

FWIW, I have always loathed tipping. Pay your damn service people a real wage and add the extra cost to my bill. Don't pass the onus to pay your people on to me, dammit! It is a pain in the ass......

lb13

I probably would have given the homeless guy 5 bucks AND tipped the waiter 20%. Cuz that's just how I am.

Unless the homeless person pays taxes, the analogy is invalid.

littlebeast13 wrote:FWIW, I have always loathed tipping. Pay your damn service people a real wage and add the extra cost to my bill. Don't pass the onus to pay your people on to me, dammit! It is a pain in the ass......

Well said, Ebeneezer!

You forgot one small point, though: that extra cost should be part of the quoted price for the meal/service, not tacked on afterwards as an extra "service charge".

MarleysGh0st wrote:

littlebeast13 wrote:FWIW, I have always loathed tipping. Pay your damn service people a real wage and add the extra cost to my bill. Don't pass the onus to pay your people on to me, dammit! It is a pain in the ass......

Well said, Ebeneezer!

You forgot one small point, though: that extra cost should be part of the quoted price for the meal/service, not tacked on afterwards as an extra "service charge".

Well, that is what I meant.

Nobody at Mecca has ever had to pay a "service" charge for me putting their Tide on the shelf for them. It's just a small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, fraction of what they paid for the Tide in the first place.....

lb13

littlebeast13 wrote:

MarleysGh0st wrote:

littlebeast13 wrote:FWIW, I have always loathed tipping. Pay your damn service people a real wage and add the extra cost to my bill. Don't pass the onus to pay your people on to me, dammit! It is a pain in the ass......

Well said, Ebeneezer!

You forgot one small point, though: that extra cost should be part of the quoted price for the meal/service, not tacked on afterwards as an extra "service charge".

Well, that is what I meant.

Nobody at Mecca has ever had to pay a "service" charge for me putting their Tide on the shelf for them. It's just a small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, fraction of what they paid for the Tide in the first place.....

lb13

You and your associates haven't tried setting one of those "Tips" jars next to the cash register, to try to sneak the practice in at a place where that's never been the custom?

MarleysGh0st wrote:

littlebeast13 wrote:

MarleysGh0st wrote: Well said, Ebeneezer!

You forgot one small point, though: that extra cost should be part of the quoted price for the meal/service, not tacked on afterwards as an extra "service charge".

Well, that is what I meant.

Nobody at Mecca has ever had to pay a "service" charge for me putting their Tide on the shelf for them. It's just a small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, fraction of what they paid for the Tide in the first place.....

lb13

You and your associates haven't tried setting one of those "Tips" jars next to the cash register, to try to sneak the practice in at a place where that's never been the custom?

Not only not the custom, but strictly prohibited.....

I assume it still is anyway, though I haven't seen the signs in the break room in a few years now.....

lb13

MarleysGh0st wrote:

littlebeast13 wrote:

MarleysGh0st wrote: Well said, Ebeneezer!

You forgot one small point, though: that extra cost should be part of the quoted price for the meal/service, not tacked on afterwards as an extra "service charge".

Well, that is what I meant.

Nobody at Mecca has ever had to pay a "service" charge for me putting their Tide on the shelf for them. It's just a small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, fraction of what they paid for the Tide in the first place.....

lb13

You and your associates haven't tried setting one of those "Tips" jars next to the cash register, to try to sneak the practice in at a place where that's never been the custom?

My aunt and uncle own a bar/restaurant in Germany, where the cost of the service is included in the cost of the goods. But the help is considerably less than helpful as a result.

I watched the valet at the Boardwalk hustling to get these guys a cab, opened the door, pulled down the steps, then leave empty-handed. Then a guy comes up with a wheelchair he had gotten at the Studios and promised to return at the hotel, and had the guy bring it to the desk for him. Same hustle and smile; same stiff job. So I gave the guy at the valet desk $5 to give to him so he'd keep that incentive to keep hustling. Even though we had self-parked and getting the car ourselves.

Hello, Mini! wrote:I was a waiter. I made $2.13 an hour. I was on the receiving end of the tax breaks.

Now I'm in the bracket that's on the giving end. And I'm not bitching about what I pay because what is left is still a lot. It's not so much "spread the wealth" as "make sure those who can pay are paying" and "ease up a bit on those who make less."

But that's too long for a sound bite. I don't think in sound bites.

How much do you tip when you get good sound bites?

Hello, Mini! wrote:My aunt and uncle own a bar/restaurant in Germany, where the cost of the service is included in the cost of the goods. But the help is considerably less than helpful as a result.

I watched the valet at the Boardwalk hustling to get these guys a cab, opened the door, pulled down the steps, then leave empty-handed. Then a guy comes up with a wheelchair he had gotten at the Studios and promised to return at the hotel, and had the guy bring it to the desk for him. Same hustle and smile; same stiff job. So I gave the guy at the valet desk $5 to give to him so he'd keep that incentive to keep hustling. Even though we had self-parked and getting the car ourselves.

The employer should be offering all the incentive the employee needs to bust his butt for the customers. If they are not, then the employer either needs to give him a raise because he's not paying enough, or he needs to cut him loose because he's a slacker.....

I have no problem paying for service, but I should not have to do it directly!!!!!!

lb13

ulysses5019 wrote:

Hello, Mini! wrote:I was a waiter. I made $2.13 an hour. I was on the receiving end of the tax breaks.

Now I'm in the bracket that's on the giving end. And I'm not bitching about what I pay because what is left is still a lot. It's not so much "spread the wealth" as "make sure those who can pay are paying" and "ease up a bit on those who make less."

But that's too long for a sound bite. I don't think in sound bites.

How much do you tip when you get good sound bites?

Nothing if they're wearing a Palin button and call themselves Joe the Plumber (who is really named Samuel and not a licensed plumber and didn't pay taxes on his actual income, forget the fantasy income........)

Nah. I tip on the service, not the wardrobe. Have you seen some of those heinous outfits chain restaurants make you wear? I'd forgive them for a McCain button to brighten things up, or even having a blue Crips bandana hanging out of their back pocket.........

My wife waitressed while I was in the Navy. She lived on peanut butter sandwiches and my allotment. We always overtip. Waitresses at the local choke and pukes try to steer us to their stations. I simply don't understand greed.