Tipping in pay restaurant?

[irishgirl]

Since the $25 per person charge is supposed to be the tip, I think $50 for a tip is pretty darn good. How many times to you tip $50 for dinner at home?

[mfs2k]

I think you misunderstood... the $25 is not supposed to be the tip only.

 

Its for the "upgrade" of the food and the upgraded service. According to an earlier post, it includes gratuities, but Im not sure if it really goes to the wait staff.

[VentureMan_2000]

One More Time, As stated by Carnival:

 

 

"The reservation fee is $25 per guest, per entree. This fee includes the wait staffs' gratuity; additional gratuities are optional and may be extended in cash or to the guest's Sail & Sign Account, at the guest's discretion."

 

Carnival states this very clearly.

[mfs2k]

The waitstaff only get a few dollars per person from the $25. Unless several of the wait staff lied to me, I beleive that. Otherwise Carnival would state that the entire $25 goes to waitstaff gratuities. They do not say that.

 

I know, from my conversations, that waitstaff rely on additional gratuities to support themselves...

 

Carnival's statement clearly indicates that any additional gratuities are optional. I elect to select that option to reward good service.

 

Obviously, everyone can make their own independent choice, but I dont think these boards should advocate not tipping... Its not a nice thing to do to hard working people who "serve" us for 3 hours.

[kodiac]

I am sure the waitstaff gets more then 2 or 3 dollars per person. The upgraded food is great but it honestly does not cost too much extra for Carnival to serve these dishes.

 

I do extend the tip depending on how we are treated. Exceptional service = exceptional tip.

 

Standard service will equal the "standard tip" which per Carnival already comes out of the $25 per person.

 

Kodiac :)

[steveaaaa]

If you were in a tip position would you tell everybody that you receive a huge portion of the money or would you play the "poor me and my family card". I keep reading about how hard these people work and the good service, well excuse me.Good service?What is good service? What part of not doing their jobs is good service.If your job is to service people then what part of additional tipping gets you good service or what would be better service? These people in addition to the tips get a place to sleep,medical care, and food. Everything else is a bonus. Just because it makes anyone feel good to tip extra or think that they are being a big shot tipper is a joke,but that is their personal choice.I have read dozens of postings stating about how everybody tips more.Who cares!We have grown up in a society of being led to believe this is what is to be done.Even the cruise line gives a suggested amount.What for?Everybody tries to fit it in to fit their own situation. How often do you tip the guy at Mcdonalds? I am in a field that receives tips and I (we in my field) laugh most of the time because it is always a game of how much can we get in tips. Oh poor me and my kids at home and my parents,ect. How about sending me some money for my folks who live in Florida.Because of the hurricain,they were without power for 38 hours,live on a fixed income and lost the food in the freezer.(yes it is true)

I still believe that the tips should be part of the fare this way no one gets stiffed and they all get a decent wage for a decent job.If I don't get tipped, I do not do any less of a job and we should not be mislead to beleive that either.

Steve

[mfs2k]

I do not know what a cruise waiter makes in base wages. Ive spent 20 years working in the hospitality industry in the US (restaurants and hotels), currently as Director of Finance for a NYC Hotel. Most waiters in NY State make $3.30 per hour plus tips. I know they work very hard and their tips are what they live on. Steveaaa, do you make $3.30 an hour? or are your tips a little extra bonus?

 

I've known a lot of greed waitstaff over the years, who EXPECT to be tipped regardless of what kind of service they provide. I agree this is wrong.

 

There are several financial reasons why restaurants dont want to change to a non tipping policy. (greater overtime pay, higher payroll taxes, etc), so it is unlikely our system will change in the near future.

[alprzy]

Madelinerose,

 

The tables for (2) I saw upstairs were on the rail. I ate on the first level (window w/sunset) but took a gander upstairs. It is supposed to be based on an upscale NY Steakhouse, that is how it is advertised. If you've ever eaten at Morton's, it is similar in experience but with a bit better wait staff.

 

With respect to the direction of this thread, I wholeheartedly agree with tipping extra when service above my expectation is received. I got it there and in the main dining room also. And tipped extra there too. (twice).

 

I do think the headwaiter/waitress can make a good living. I did some cocktail napkin math during dinner one night and figured that our Headwaitress serviced 5 tables of 4 twice per night. That's 40 people.

Based on $3.50 PP/per day it comes to $140. per day at the sign and sail rate. Multiply by 7 days and it comes to $980. per week. Multiply that by 50 weeks and you have $49,000. That does not include "base pay" or anything extra they may receive. I know for a fact, our waitress received envelopes from others in our seating as well. Throw in room and board and they can save some decent bucks during their stints on board. Our waitress was just finishing her 3rd year straight and was calling it quits in 3 months, after this last 8 month contract she was on. She was an accountant from the Czech Republic, and her assistant had a law degree from Russia.

 

True, some people adjust their sign and sail tips, but I honestly don't think it's a great %. I would surely hope not. And anyway, the additional $ they get should balance that off.

 

AlPrzy

[madelinerose]

Thanks again, Al....yes, I've been to Morton's. Now I know what to look forward to. Again, we're on the same page...

 

BTW...DH was in the hospitality/hotel management (BA degrees) field for many years. We're now both self-employed, but he can sit at a restaurant table and know exactly what's going on in the kitchen, how much each person is making in tips, who's working and who's not, what the maitre d' is managing, how many plates have to be washed, etc. etc. Therefore, we know when to tip graciously and when to tip normally and when to complain or not. :rolleyes:

 

Have a good weekend, everyone.

[GoinCruisin]

I do think the headwaiter/waitress can make a good living. I did some cocktail napkin math during dinner one night and figured that our Headwaitress serviced 5 tables of 4 twice per night. That's 40 people.

Based on $3.50 PP/per day it comes to $140. per day at the sign and sail rate. Multiply by 7 days and it comes to $980. per week. Multiply that by 50 weeks and you have $49,000. That does not include "base pay" or anything extra they may receive.

Keep in mind that the $5.50pp/pd does NOT just go to one person, it goes to the team associated.. and they work on contracts (4-9 months, most have 2 months off), so they are not working 365... their base pay is $45 per month, so they are really not making a killing... they are also responsible for reporting their own income. The average employee makes $1500 to $2200 per month, during the months they work... more depending on tips from diners. They really do rely on our tips as their source of income...

[VentureMan_2000]

I don't tip based on my interpretation of whether someone is being paid a fair wage. I'm on vacation... I'm the guest. Minimally, I tip based on Carnivals guidelines. Carnival considers these guideline to be fair to the workers, and far beit from me to second guess how they should run their business.

 

Carnival doesn't seem to be having any problems finding employees.

 

You are paying $50 for private service which includes the gratuitees. If you have extra money, and want to tip more, do so. If you do not, don't give it a second thought.

[NJsharon]

I don't know if they are the same, but here is the menu from "The Point" on the Conquest.

 

http://home.bellsouth.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=87&subpageid=63609&ck=

This is exactly the same menu as they use at Nick & Noras on the Miracle!

 

Between DH & myself we tried the sushi platter (very good), baked onion soup, lobster bisque (DH said it was to die for, I thought it was good), & shrimp cocktail for starter. Both got the spinach & mushroom salad which was really nice. Main course we both got the filet mignon (medium/rare, DH liked his, I thought mine was cooked closer to medium). Side dishes, DH got the mashed potato (which was extremely good) & the mushrooms. I got the spinach & the mushrooms (spinach was the best creamed spinach I've tasted... whole spinach leaves with the cream drizzled over them). Then shared the fresh fruit/berries with sherbet (was kind of a pineapple tasting sherbet & really good).

 

There were tables for 2 by the railings upstairs, tables for 2 by the windows, or tables for 2 close the dance floor. We sat by the dance floor as we wanted to listen to the music & dance.

 

It was a beautiful evening. :)

 

We tipped extra as we found the service to be wonderful.

 

~Sharon~

[NJsharon]

Just adding that if you are going to book Nick & Noras they served filet mignon, scallops, and lobster bisque in the Bacchus dining room on the night we were in Nassau (the late night). The filet mignon was excellent, and IMO better cooked than at N&Ns, so might want to be present that night.

 

Side note that the day we stopped at Port Canaveral (tuesday) we stayed on ship & the taste of Nations (for lunch) was caribbean. They had conch fritters which were very good. So we had a wonderful day of relaxing by the pool (with a choice of where to sit/lay!) & ate conch fritters.

 

Okay, I will now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.... ;)